Akito's Big Mistake
by readbooks172
Summary: This is both my first fruits basket fanfiction, and my longest fanfiction ever. I hope you enjoy it. Tohru is kidnapped and has a shock in store for the Zodiac.


I don't own Fruits Basket, the songs, or any other ideas that have been trademarked. I do, however, hold total control over the children! *Giggles, holding the babies greedily.*  
  
"I'm worried about Tohru." Said Kyo, looking out the shoji doors into the dark woods beyond. "She hasn't come home yet from work."  
"She's probably just fine." Said Shigure.  
"But she's an hour late." Said Yuki, coming to stand beside Kyo, who bristled.  
"So why haven't you gone to pick her up yet, you damn rat?" he growled.  
"Because she told me she was going to be a little late, stupid cat." Said Yuki, looking over at him with narrowed eyes. "She needed a few extra hours, tuition is due." He looked back out over the darkened yard, eyes darkening slightly. "But as much as it pains me to agree with you, you're right. She's far too late, even if she did say she was going to work over."  
"If you two are going to fuss like old women, go out and hunt for her." Said Shigure, fanning himself lightly, a small grin on his face, eyes closed. He paled when he felt the heat of their auras, looming right in front of his face. "I didn't say anything." He whimpered. He cracked open one eye and smiled again when he saw their departing backs. "Be safe." he caroled after them. Then he frowned. "I hope you find her." He murmured. He looked over at the phone in surprise. "Now who could that be so late at night?"  
* * *  
"We should have met her by now." Said Kyo, kicking a rock halfway down the path.  
"I suppose, but as I said, she said she had to work late tonight." Said Yuki. "And you know how seriously she takes her responsibilities."  
"Yeah, I know." Said Kyo, shaking his head. His head shot up. "What's that?"  
  
"What?"  
"That damn howling." Said Kyo, glaring behind them. Shigure was in dog form, running full tilt up the road behind them.  
"Kyo, Yuki, it's Tohru!" he panted. Even his dog form looked extremely worried. "Hari found her outside the Main House. She's been hurt."  
The rat and cat looked horrified. With muffled BOOMS they transformed, then after Yuki climbed onto Shigure's back, they took off as fast as their four legs could carry them.  
* * *  
Hatori sighed, tucking the needle in his bag, along with the bottle of sedative. The best thing for her right now was sleep. He turned out the lights in the guestroom and left, shutting the door behind him.  
"Hatori, is she ok?" asked Momiji, tugging at his white coat as soon as he stepped out of the room. His childish face was screwed up in worry.  
Hatsuharu stood, leaning against the wall. One long leg was propped up against the opposite wall, blocking Hatori's way down the hall, forcing him to stay long enough to answer the question.  
"I'll tell you when Shigure, Kyo, and Yuki get here. You should all hear it together." He sighed. "And I really don't want to tell it more than I have to." He tilted his head to the side. "And if I'm not mistaken, I think they just arrived." He said, gesturing for the other two to follow him down the stairs and into his office, where he believed he had distinctly heard the door being crashed through.  
"HATORI!" roared Kyo, sounding more like a lion than a cat. "WHERE IS SHE!?"  
"Be quiet!" said Hatori, slipping silently into his office. "I gave her a sedative. She's asleep in my guest room."  
"Is she alright?" Asked Yuki from his perch atop Shigure's head.  
"Honestly, I don't know." Said Hatori, sitting at his desk with a sigh. "She wasn't badly hurt, but she was unconscious. Almost as if she were drugged. But what I can't figure out is why she was outside the main gates. She couldn't make it here by herself if she was unconscious, so the only thing I can guess is she was brought here. For what reason I don't know."  
"But she was uninjured?" asked Shigure.  
"For the most part. She woke up briefly and I tried to ask her what had happened, but she was very disoriented. I felt the best thing for her was sleep."  
"Will she be alright?"  
"I don't know. We'll have to see what she says happened when she wakes up."  
* * *  
Tohru woke slowly. She tried to sit up and immediately wished she hadn't, moaning as nausea washed through her. She buried her face in her hands, trying to swallow against the bile rising in her throat. She lost the fight and looked around frantically, trying to find something, so she didn't end up disgracing herself in the bed. Spotting a garbage can beside the writing desk under the window, she fell out of bed and crawled towards it, burying her head in it just in time. Retching helplessly, she heard the door slide open, and felt a hand rubbing her back.  
  
"Sissy? Are you ok?" asked a quiet little voice.  
"K-Kisa?" Said Tohru, resting her flushed cheek on the rim of the garbage can, panting. "Where am I?"  
"You're in grandpa Hatori's house."  
"What am I doing here?"  
"Someone found you. They said you were sick outside the main gates. Hatori brought you in and kept you for the night. It's morning." Said Kisa. "I stayed home from school to help take care of you."  
"School!" said Tohru, jumping up in a panic. "I'm late! I'm so late! I completely forgot about school!" She tried to run to the door but stumbled and fell to her knees, clutching her head. "But I'm so dizzy." She moaned.  
"And just what do you think you're doing?" asked Hatori, coming into the room and noticing the rice ball sitting on the floor. He looked at Kisa and gestured towards the door. She nodded and left, casting one last worried look back at her surrogate sister.  
"I was trying to go to school." Said Tohru meekly.  
"I don't think so." He said, gesturing to the person behind him. Kagura followed him in, smiling cheerfully at Tohru. "I've asked Kagura to give me a hand today, since I can't get too close." He gestured at the girl on the floor and Kagura put an arm around her shoulders. "Come on, Tohru, let's get you into bed." She said, lifting the girl with little effort. She carried the weakly protesting rice ball back to the bed and tucked her in, leaving one arm out of the blankets for the blood pressure gauge.  
"Now, Tohru, tell me, what do you remember about last night?" he asked, sticking a thermometer in her ear, then looking at the readout.  
"I remember walking up the path towards the house, then someone put a rag over my face. It smelled sweet, I fell asleep, then I woke up here."  
"You don't remember anything else?" She shook her head. "Tohru, I want you to come down to my office. I want to run some tests, just to make sure you're all right. This blackout has me worried."  
"Is something wrong?" asked Tohru, eyes going wide and hair frizzing out.  
"I don't know yet, but this is just in case, all right?" said Hatori, doing his best to smile at her reassuringly.  
"Ok." She said, smiling back at him timidly.  
"Now, do you feel you can walk there yourself, or do you need help?"  
"I can make it." She said, firmly.  
Hatori nodded. "Kagura, help her." He turned to the door. "I'll meet you two down there. I need to get a few things set up." He retreated down the stairs.  
"Are you really ok, Tohru?" asked Kagura, pulling her friend to her feet. "Everyone was really worried about you. We had to slip Kyo and Yuki something in their tea to get them to sleep."  
Tohru looked stricken. "I didn't mean to make everyone worry like that." She looked down out of embarrassment, but also to navigate the stairs.  
"It's not your fault, and as soon as Hari checks you over, they'll calm down." Said Kagura reassuringly. "They all just want to make sure you're ok." She opened the small clinic's door, then eased her down on the paper covered bed/table present in every doctors office. "Don't go anywhere, Kagura. I'm going to have to run some tests that are going to require a woman's help." He turned towards them, an empty syringe in his hand. "First, I need to draw some blood."  
"Hari, don't you lay a hand on our little Tohru!" Said Shigure, coming into the little room and grabbing her hand. "Until I'm here to hold her hand while you stick her with that horrible torture device!" he said, faux tears running down his cheeks.  
Kagura laughed and 'playfully' punched him in the arm.sending him sailing into the opposite wall. "Oh, 'Gure, you're so silly!" she giggled. Tohru sweat dropped.  
Shigure sighed sadly. "I'm so mistreated by this family!" he wailed from his crumpled position.  
Hatori idly wondered how even though Shigure had landed on his head, he still managed to have the tears run down his cheeks. He shook his head. No time to worry about that right now. He quickly found a vein and drew blood from Tohru, who was surprised at the abruptness of it.  
"Umm, Hatori, is something the matter?"  
"No. Kagura, help her into the bathroom and have her fill this." He said, handing her a little vial. "Be sure to get a good sample, please."  
"Kagura looked surprised for a minute, then shrugged. "Fine. We'll be out in a sec." She said, pulling the horribly blushing rice ball to her feet.  
Shigure waited until the two girls had vanished into the small bathroom off the clinic, then got up and turned to Hatori, a rare serious look on his face. "So, Hari, what do you think?"  
"I checked her for bruises and cuts when she came in. She was clean, so I highly doubt she was seriously injured, wherever she was. What I'm most concerned with is rape. If she did catch anything obvious, it should have had time to circulate through her system by now." Said Hatori to as he emptied half the syringe into a test tube, then added a clear fluid and swirled it. He sighed in relief when the blood stayed red. "No diseases." He reported to the dog, who sighed just as deeply as Hatori had.  
"Can't you tell if she's been raped?" Asked Shigure, a line appearing between his eyebrows.  
"No. That was the first thing I checked for; no bleeding or tears, and she doesn't seem to be in any pain, and wouldn't it be painful if she had been? I assume she was still virgin?" he asked, raising his one visible eyebrow at Shigure, who nodded.  
"She was. I could smell it." Said Shigure. "One of the benefits of being the dog."  
"I suppose they could have cleaned her up, and there are things that could help with pain, but it doesn't make sense. Why kidnap and rape her, then clean her up and dump her outside the main house doors?"  
"So you don't think she was raped?"  
"I don't know." Hari said, rubbing his forehead. "I'm just relieved to know she's not caught anything, nor can she be pregnant."  
"Why couldn't she be pregnant?" asked Shigure.  
"I prescribed birth control for her six months ago."  
"Why would she need that?"  
"Her monthlies were very irregular. They help with that, among other things." Said Hatori.  
"Is there a possibility she could be pregnant even though she's been on the pill?"  
"So small it's not even calculable." Said Hatori dismissively.  
"We're back." Said Kagura, pulling Tohru into the room. She pulled a tiny half full vial out of a towel. "Here's the sample you needed."  
Hatori turned to take the vial from Kagura, then gestured for Tohru to sit on the table again. "I'm going to have to ask you to leave Shigure, Kagura. I need to ask Tohru some personal questions, then I'll call you back in." They nodded and left, closing the door behind them. Hatori turned to Tohru. "Now, Tohru, are you in any pain?"  
"No, not really."  
"Did you have any problems filling this vial for me?"  
Tohru flushed bright red. "N-no."  
"Tohru, this is going to seem like a very personal question. But it has to be answered. Are you a virgin?"  
Tohru went so red you could feel the heat radiating from her face from across the room. "Yes."  
"Are you involved in any strenuous activity, such as sports, horse back riding, gymnastics, or swimming?"  
"Well, I used to do gymnastics when I was really little, does that count?" she asked.  
"Yes. Thank you Tohru. I'm sorry I had to ask all of these questions, but they were necessary." They both turned when they heard a commotion in the hall.  
"Dammit Shigure! If you don't let me in there right now, I'll."  
"Now, Kyo, Hari's in there checking her over, you don't want to walk in on her naked, do you? Or.do you?"  
"AUGH! DAMMIT! You pervert!"  
"I can't believe you even said that, Shigure."  
Various sounds of violence, then a whimpering Shigure could be heard. "Kagura, why did you help them? I thought you liked me."  
"Because you were being stupid. The only one Kyo would ever want to see naked is me, of course!"  
"Who says?!"  
"I say! Now shut up and agree!" WHAM! Kyo came crashing through the clinic wall, landing at Tohru's feet. Shigure, Yuki, and Kagura, who was still fuming to herself, came through the hole after him.  
Kyo scrambled to his feet, dusting bits of paper and wood off himself. "Tohru! Are you ok?" he asked, checking her for any visible damage. Finding nothing, he sat down beside her on the bed. "What were you THINKING?! Making us worry like that!?"  
"Stupid cat, it wasn't her fault." Said Yuki, sitting down on her other side.  
"I know that! Damn rat! But I've TOLD her about acting like a space cadet!"  
"Oh, so you think she could have stopped someone sneaking up and drugging her from behind?"  
"Well, she didn't seem to have any problems with me that one time!"  
"That's enough, the both of you!" said Hatori. "It couldn't have been helped. Tohru didn't ask for someone to do this to her. The best thing you can do now is be supportive."  
"Supportive of what?" Asked Kyo. "She wasn't hurt, was she?"  
"Not as far as we can tell." Said Hatori.  
"So they kidnapped her just to dump her by the Main house?" Said Yuki. "That doesn't make any sense!"  
"Well, it's common knowledge she lives with the Sohmas, maybe they did it as a message to us?" Said Shigure.  
"That's possible." Said Hatori. "I'm reluctant to bring it up to Akito, though. He might order me to stop treating her."  
"Or he might bring her here, for her own 'protection.'" Said Kyo, darkly.  
"Well, if I'm not hurt, and I'm ok now, then they're really isn't anything to worry about, is there?" Said Tohru, smiling brightly. "Can I go home now? I'm really feeling much better."  
"I don't see any reason to keep you. I need to send the blood and urine off for analysis. There's nothing more we can do here if you're sure you're all right." Said Hatori, examining her face closely.  
"Really! I'm just fine! And I have laundry to do! And there's school tomorrow!" she said, lifting a fist.  
Kyo and Yuki sighed. "What a time to worry about the damn laundry and school!" said Kyo in disgust. "Come on, let's go home." He pulled Tohru to her feet, then started leading her to the door. He froze when he felt Kagura stalk up behind him.  
"KYO! I hope you weren't going to leave without giving your love a goodbye kiss!" she snarled.  
"I don't have a love!" he yelled back.  
"HOW DARE YOU KYO MY DARLING!" she screamed, pulling him to her by the hair, then knocking him through the window.  
Yuki sighed and took Tohru's hand. "Shall we get your things and start home? Kyo can join us after he gets through with his lovers spat."  
"Shut up ya damn rat! Ahhh!" Screamed Kyo as he flew past, Kagura in hot pursuit.  
"We'll meet you at home, Kyo!" trilled Shigure, waving.  
"Dammit Shigure! Help me!" howled Kyo, trying to crawl away with Kagura curled like an octopus around his legs.  
"I think you have it well in hand." Shigure said, closing the door behind him.  
"SHIGURE!"  
* * *  
"Are you certain you're alright, Miss Honda?" said Yuki once again as they walked down the forest path towards the house. Shigure walked behind them, humming to himself.  
"Yuki, I'm fine, I promise! I'm just worried about missing a whole day of school!" Said Tohru. "I hope I didn't miss anything important!"  
"I'm sure Miss Uotani or Miss Hanajima will fill you in on anything you missed." Said Yuki, smiling at the distraught girl.  
"Oh no! I bet they're so worried! I never miss school, and I didn't tell them I was going to be gone! I've got to tell them I'm ok!" she said, dashing for the phone, leaving Yuki to choke in her kicked up dust.  
"What's wrong with her, laundry can't be that important." Said Shigure, coming up to the coughing Yuki.  
"She realized Miss Uotani and Miss Hanajima would be concerned about her." Said Yuki.  
"I'd forgotten about them." Said Shigure, rubbing his chin. "I wonder what they'd do if they ever found out Tohru was kidnapped."  
"Well, I would do something like this." Said Hana. Their hair stood out from their heads as a small bolt of electricity shot through them. Wisps of smoke drifted up from their singed hair as they both turned to see Hana and Uo standing behind them in the path.  
"Then I'd kick your asses for letting her get taken in the first place." Said Uo, sparks seeming to fly from her one visible blue green eye.  
"Even if it wasn't our fault?" Squeaked Shigure, hiding behind Yuki.  
"Yes." Said Hana, eyes glowing purple.  
"Hana! Uo! I tried calling your houses, but Hana's mom said you were on your way here!" said Tohru, running out with a smile.  
Instantly, Hana's eyes faded, and she smiled back. "Hello Tohru. We were concerned." "Yeah Tohru, where were you today?" said Uo. "You never miss school."  
"Well, I wasn't feeling very well today, so.Hatori made me stay home." said Tohru, blushing lightly. There was no WAY she was going to tell them about.  
"So what's this about you being kidnapped?" Asked Uo flatly.  
Tohru froze, hair frizzing. "K-kidnapped?" she stuttered. "Who-what- where did you hear that?"  
"From the master novelist over here." Said Uo, jerking her thumb towards the cringing Shigure.  
"Oh." Said Tohru, flushing.  
"So it's true, then?" Said Hana, hair moving as if in a wind.  
"Well, I." She couldn't say any more as both of them turned to face the cousins, whose lives flashed before their eyes. "Please, it's not their fault!"  
"Please, tell us what happened." Said Hana, purple sparks shimmering off her body in various places.  
"Well, I.was walking home from work, and I woke up at Sohma house." Said Tohru, with her trademark grin.  
Uo's hair frizzed. "How can you be so relaxed about it?!" she asked.  
"Well, I'm ok, aren't I?" Tohru said, voice cracking with nerves.  
"How do you know?" asked Hana. "Have you been checked?"  
"Hatori gave me a checkup, and I passed with flying colors. I'm fine! I promise!" Ayame couldn't have sparkled more. "You know what I think? I think someone found me, and knew I was connected to the Sohmas, and they brought me to their house, after I fainted!"  
"Did you have any reason to faint?" asked Hana.  
"Umm, no, but I'm sure that's what happened!"  
Everyone present sighed. "Come inside, all of you, we'll catch our death standing out here." Shigure said finally.  
"Oh, I'll make some tea, and we have fresh jelly buns." Said Tohru, dashing inside to put the kettle on the stove.  
"Level with us." Said Uo, running a hand through her hair. "Is she ok?"  
"She's as well as could be expected. We think they may have taken her to prove a point to the Sohmas. We are a powerful family, after all."  
"Is she safe, after this?"  
"We don't know. We have yet to call it to our clan head's attention. He might take action, he might not. At any rate, we are going to work to guarantee Tohru's safety in the future, whatever Akito decides."  
"I wouldn't do anything hasty. Her electric signals have changed. I've seen something like it before, but I don't remember where."  
"Is she ok, Hana?"  
"It's not a bad change, but it will affect her life, deeply."  
"Guys! Come on, the tea's ready!" Said Tohru, waving a china pot around, splashing tea on the ground. "Oops." She muttered, blushing. She disappeared back into the house.  
"If she's that clumsy, she's fine." Said Kyo, limping up the path.  
"Finally got away from Kagura, did you Kyo?" asked Shigure.  
"Shut up! Why didn't you help me back there?" Yelled Kyo, tossing aside the stick he'd been using as a crutch.  
"But you lovebirds looked so cozy." Said Yuki, smiling.  
"And you can just roll over and DIE, you damn rat!"  
"Kyo! You're home! I've got snacks and tea on the table if you're hungry; come on everyone, tea is served!" Tohru had come outside just in time to stall another fight. She waved everyone into the dining room happily, this time forgoing the teapot. Electricity sizzled between Kyo and Yuki as they walked towards the house, following behind Uo and Hana. Shigure had run on ahead, presumably for the tea, but really to get as quickly as he could into Tohru's safe zone, since Hana was still sparking. She wouldn't shock them while Tohru was there, though. It would upset her, and Hana would do anything to keep from upsetting Tohru. They all would.  
"Damn rat."  
"stupid cat."  
"Kyo! Yuki! Shigure's going to eat all the jelly buns!"  
* * *  
"Did you drop her by the front gate?"  
"Yes, Akito."  
"Did they find her?"  
"Yes."  
"Good. Now, we wait and see if our venture.bears fruit."  
* * * "So, you're sure you're ok? You're not just saying it so we'll let you go  
to school?"  
"Positive."  
"If you want to stay home, Miss Honda, all you have to do is say so, I'd be more than happy to pick your homework up for you, and take notes."  
"No, you don't have to go to so much trouble for me, Yuki. I'm fine! I just got a little dizzy this morning, that's all. It's been more than three weeks. If anything were wrong, all the tests Hatori ran would have shown it, wouldn't they?"  
"I suppose so."  
"Yep! So, there's nothing to worry about! I'm as healthy as a horse!" She proclaimed, just before she hit the ground in a dead faint.  
"Miss Honda!"  
"Aw, hell!"  
"We have to get her back to the house and call Hatori. I knew she couldn't be feeling as well as she said she was!" Yuki lifted her, his arms hooked at the elbow to support her shoulder from the armpits, the only safe way to carry her.  
"No one could have just bounced back after being kidnapped." Said Kyo, standing between her legs and hooking her knees with his hands. The two distraught young men rushed Tohru back to the house, kicking in the sliding door on the veranda.  
"I'm sorry Kagura, Kyo has already...what on earth is going on here?" Asked Shigure, coming into the room, a brush in his hand.  
"She fainted on the path."  
"I'll call Hatori, you get her into bed." Said Shigure, totally serious.  
* * *  
"I can't figure out what made her faint." Said Hatori, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "She seems perfectly healthy. I've run every test we could think of on her, and a few that the hospital claimed were completely unnecessary. I can't think of anything else to do."  
"There's one test you never ran." Said Kyo, his bangs hiding his eyes. "A pregnancy test."  
"It's the only thing we haven't tried." Said Shigure, shaking his head. "Is there any way we can find out today?"  
"It's been three weeks, a common household pregnancy test should do it." Said Hatori. He walked to the door. "I'll drive to the office and pick one up. You go make sure she's comfortable until I get back." He walked out the door. They heard an engine start, then speed off down the path, at what surely had to be past the normal speed limit.  
"I think we should contact one of her friends." Said Yuki. "If nothing else, for moral support. Think of what she'll think, us asking her to take this test."  
"You're right. I'll call Hari and ask him to pick them up from school and explain to them what's going on." Said Shigure, going down the hall to use the phone.  
Kyo sighed and sank to the floor, crossing his arms over his chest. "Do you think she is?"  
"I don't know. But if she is, I'll make sure we catch the person that did it." Said Yuki, purple eyes flashing.  
"And make sure they can't do it to anyone else."  
"Well, I called Hari, he'll get them, and I told the school to have them wait by the door, that it involved Tohru."  
"Hell, I'll bet they try and steal the car."  
* * *  
"I cannot believe you two tried to steal my car." Said Hatori, a vein throbbing in his forehead.  
"We didn't steal it. We simply.preferred our driving skills to yours." Said Hana placidly.  
"Yeah, you drive like a turtle. We wanted to get here and see who we had to maim." Said Uo, twirling her lead pipe like a baton.  
"Maim?"  
"For hurting Tohru." Said Hana. "And I would like to get the name of the person, if at all possible."  
"Why would you want their name?"  
"Well, my brother found out Tohru was injured and he was concerned." Hana said, smiling.  
"And why would he need to know their name?" Hatori asked, his one visible eyebrow forking downward.  
"You really do not want to know." Said Hana. Hatori decided to take her word for it.  
"Hari! It's about time you got back. Did you get it?" Said Shigure. He was unsmiling, reflecting on the seriousness of the situation.  
"Now I'm really scared." Said Uo. "If the master novelist is serious, you know it's bad."  
Shigure looked at them steadily. "I'm not going to lie to you two. If the problem is what we think it is, then Tohru is going to need a lot of support from her friends in the coming months."  
"Is she sick? Is it from where she was kidnapped?" Asked Uo urgently.  
"We think so. Hari, show them the test." They stood in mute shock, staring at the little white box, a familiar cross and minus sign adorning the side.  
"No." said Uo. "How could you let this happen?!" she snarled, glaring at the dog, then at the dragon.  
"It couldn't have been stopped. We had no indication it was going to happen, or we would have done everything in our power to stop it. You have to know that."  
Hana put a hand on Uo's shoulder, to keep her from leaping at the Sohmas. "We know. It's just a hard thing to accept."  
"It could be a false alarm. But we thought we'd call you, both because we felt you deserved to know, and to be the support Tohru will undoubtedly need when the test is taken, no matter what the result."  
"We'll always be here for her." Said Hana.  
"She's awake." Said Kyo, coming down the stairs. "She's afraid. Yuki and I explained about the test."  
"Give us the test." Said Uo. She took the box from Hatori and she and Hana went upstairs.  
Yuki came down a few minutes later, a worried frown on his face. "They sent me out while she takes the test. We'll find out one way or the other in a few minutes."  
"What if she is?" Asked Kyo.  
"I don't know. I know she won't want to leave school, but they are very rigid about the rules on things like that." Said Shigure.  
"She could be home educated." Said Yuki.  
"I don't know if she would agree to that." Hatori said.  
"If she is, I don't think she would have much of a choice." Said Kyo. "She could continue until she started showing, at least."  
"We could just be jumping the gun, you know." Said Yuki. "It could just be a false alarm."  
"No. It's not." Said Hana, coming down the stairs, her face grim. "The test came out positive."  
"Shit." Said Kyo, summing all their thoughts up nicely.  
* * *  
"She's asleep." Said Uo, closing the dining room's door behind her.  
"Is she alright?" Asked Yuki.  
"She just found out she's pregnant, she doesn't know the father, she's still in high school, and she knows what she'll be branded as. Would you be ok?" asked Uo, glaring at the silver-haired rat.  
"I suppose not." Said Yuki quietly.  
"How is it possible she's pregnant?" asked Shigure, still numb from the shock. I thought you put her on birth control, Hari?"  
"I did. I said there was a small chance she could get pregnant on the pill. A miniscule chance, but it was there. I just didn't consider it simply BECAUSE it was so miniscule."  
"Is there any way to get a DNA test from the baby?" Asked Kyo. "And find the father that way?"  
"Not until the baby is born. It would be too dangerous to the fetus." Said Hatori firmly.  
"Did you ever think she might have an abortion?" asked Shigure. "It really couldn't be her fault, and she didn't intend for this to happen."  
"She flat out said no. It wasn't the baby's fault, she said, so she wasn't going to be responsible for it's death." Said Uo.  
"Their deaths." Said Hana, calmly.  
"Their?" asked Yuki.  
"Yes. There's more than one. Four to be exact." She sipped at the cup of tea Shigure had sat before her when she came downstairs, seemingly unaware of the bombshell she had just dropped.  
"HOW THE HELL DID THAT HAPPEN?!" Screamed Kyo, his face red.  
"I don't know. But I definitely got four separate signals when I scanned. One of them is extremely weak."  
"Why didn't you detect them before?" Asked Yuki.  
"They didn't have strong enough electric signals. Tohru's blocked theirs from my senses. But there are definitely four, and they are all doing well. I will be checking periodically to make sure, of course."  
"Could you tell who the father was?"  
  
"No. But I recognized the waves from one of them. I couldn't tell which one, but I do know one thing." she glared at the various males around the room. "It has the same signals as you four."  
"Are you saying one of these guys could be the dad?" Asked Uo, glaring daggers at the stunned men.  
"How dare you!" said Yuki, standing up and slapping his palms flat on the table, his purple eyes flaring. "How DARE you suggest we would do something like that to Miss Honda!"  
"We don't know you, we know nothing about you, and YOU let her get kidnapped!" snapped Uo. "Of course we're going to wonder! And how else would she get pregnant? I doubt she went to a fucking sperm bank!"  
CRASH. The group turned to look at Hatori, who had dropped his teacup, shattering it. He was pasty white, a look of complete horror on his face. "I think I know how it may have happened." He said, running a shaking hand over his face. "Six months ago. Akito made all or most of the of age male.main circle members.donate to a private sperm stock, stored somewhere on the estate. His excuse was in case of accidents or death, there would be genetic material for identification, or if we were to become sterile for some reason later in life, it could be used."  
Uo looked shocked. "And you let him do it?!"  
"We really don't have a choice when it comes to Akito." Said Shigure, sighing. "I had forgotten all about it."  
"It makes sense. No wonder she wasn't in any pain, nor was she hurt. Artificial insemination is relatively painless. How many of us were forced to do it?" asked Yuki, staring at the wall.  
"You, Kyo, Haru, me, Ritsu, Shigure, Ayame, and Haru." Said Hatori.  
"Momiji is the same age as Haru, why not him?" asked Kyo.  
"Something about not wanting him to procreate if he could help it." Said Hatori.  
"I can see that." Said Kyo, stalking off to sit by himself in a corner, seething.  
"So he could have potentially used any of them?" Asked Uo.  
"Yes." Said Hatori, bowing his head. "And I have no way of knowing which is which. Only Akito knew."  
. "Akito has gone too far this time." Said Shigure, frowning darkly. "How could he DO something like this?"  
"We can find out." Said Hatori, pulling out his cell phone. He hit the speed dial, calling directly into Akito's personal line. "Yes, Akito, we have discovered something potentially.disturbing about Miss Tohru Honda." A pause. "Yes. I know, she is not a member of the family. But she is carrying one." Another longer, heavier pause. "No, it is not from sexual activity, I made sure of that." Another pause, and Hatori suddenly looked much older. "I see. Yes, in that case, the experiment was successful." He said heavily. Kyo hissed in rage, while Uo pounded on the floor.  
"Akito, if I may ask, who's.donation did you use?" Hatori turned dead white. There wasn't a drop of blood left in his face. "May I ask why.? I see. Thank you for the information, Akito. Goodbye." He dropped the phone, the dial tone ringing clearly in the silent room.  
"Who's did he use?" asked Shigure, breaking the deadly silence.  
"All of them." Said Hatori, hoarsely.  
"WHAT?"  
"He mixed the donations, then injected them all. He also said he had Kureno come in and change her birth control for sugar pills last month. The pills trick the body into believing it's already pregnant, thus not releasing any eggs. When the dosage suddenly stops, all the held back eggs are released. It's almost impossible to believe, but all of the eggs held back in the last four months were indeed fertilized. In fact, she could have potentially had six. The problem is, finding out who fertilized the ones that WERE fertilized."  
"Is it even possible for this to HAPPEN?" asked Shigure, frowning.  
"Obviously. It did." Said Yuki. "What else did Akito say? I know there was more. He wouldn't have done this for no reason."  
"He said that if she wanted to be a Sohma so badly, then he would grant her wish. Whoever's child she's carrying, she'll marry that person. This just makes it more 'fair for her.' This way, she won't have to choose, the gods have already made the decision for her." "But she could be carrying FOUR DIFFERENT CHILDREN!" said Kyo. "How the hell is THAT possible?"  
"I didn't mention that. Akito knows nothing of Hana's wave powers detecting the infants, or the fact that Tohru is carrying four children. All he knows is that she's pregnant."  
"And we're going to keep it that way as long as possible. Or he might order an abortion, or worse yet, take it upon himself, like he did this time." Said Shigure.  
"He's sick." Said Uo, sneering.  
"Indeed he is." Said Shigure, sighing heavily. "And I doubt he's going to be around much longer. But however long he is here, we must obey him." He looked up, eyes intense. "But only the words. I don't know about the rest of you, but from now on, I wont do anything more than what he tells me. I will spare him no more of my time than necessary. He may be the head of my family, but he has no honor." His image was one of Buddha, stately and regal. "So says the man who ogles high school girls." Said Hana, shattering the image completely.  
"What do you think the rest of the family will say when they find out?" Asked Hatori.  
"I don't know, but I know at least six besides us are going to be extremely upset." Said Yuki.  
"Indeed. Most of the.inner circle are going to be completely incensed. And they carry more influence in the family than most people think. This might just be the worst thing Akito has ever done, to anyone, including himself."  
* * *  
"What's all this, then?" Asked Shigure. He gazed out over the yard at the ten men. They all wore hard hats and carried tools. A cement mixer and wheelbarrow after wheelbarrow of stones and timber were being brought up the path towards the house.  
"Greetings. I've been instructed to deliver this to you, Master Shigure." Said a young man, smiling slightly. "I'm the head of the Sohma Construction Corporation. Master Akito has asked me to build a.nursery? Are congratulations in order, sir?"  
Shigure growled. "So it's already started." He read the letter, snorting to himself. Dearest Shigure. I know your home is ill equipped at the moment to deal with a new addition, even one as small as an infant Zodiac member. I have made the family construction crew at your disposal to build as large a room as you think is necessary to welcome our new family member. Please, avail yourself of their services as long as you see fit; the main house will cover all expenses. Also find enclosed a charge card. Go and purchase whatever furnishings, clothing, and various other odds and ends a baby requires. After all, the child could well be yours, you know. I know you won't skimp.  
Akito  
Head of Family Sohma  
"With your permission, sir, I have a set of plans for your inspection." The construction worker unrolled two sets of blueprints. "The first one is the easiest. We build right on to the back stairs, here, and have the back wall connecting to the bathroom wall. It's a fairly large room, as you can see. It might not be very convenient for now, when the baby is young, but later in life, when the child wants privacy, it's perfect. Here is the second set. It would require much more construction. We would have to build onto the porch, here, reinforcing, to support the weight of an upstairs room. It leads right off from this master bedroom, here, which makes it very convenient for when the child is smaller, but less suitable later, when the child is older. It's also a little smaller than the first. Which do you think is better, Master Shigure?"  
Shigure examined the plans carefully. "What if you moved the bottom room over here, reinforced the stairs, making a door under them leading into this room, and built the second story room over this one?" he asked, quickly sketching the desired modifications. "It would suit all purposes. The upstairs room would be at the very end of the hall, thus very convenient now, and if we didn't tell them about it, no one would be able to find the room behind the stairs, making it perfect for later use. They would also be roughly the same size."  
"We could do that, but it would be much more expensive and take a lot of time."  
Shigure grinned darkly and waved the letter around. "Akito says money is no object, and I intend to hold him to that." He went back in the house, leaving the work crew stunned.  
The foreman shrugged. "Whatever you say, sir." He turned to his crew. "You heard the man, lets get unloaded and start working on the stairs. If we hurry, we can get them reinforced, the doorways cut, and the foundation laid before dark."  
* * *  
"What the hell's going on outside?" asked Kyo, striding into the dining room. "It's the middle of the freaking summer, and I wanted Tohru to sleep in a little bit! She was up until after two last night, puking her guts up. She needs her rest! But I DON'T SEE HOW ANYONE COULD SLEEP WITH ALL THIS RACKET!"  
"I know, Kyo, but it's necessary. The workmen are from the main house, to build a nursery for the 'new family'. We can't afford to openly oppose Akito, yet. We have to appear to be cooperating. Thus, we have to allow the workmen. Besides, why not? We get a free nursery out of it, a fourth bedroom upstairs, and a credit card to get furniture, clothes, and other things I'm sure we'll be needing. It's not like Tohru could get the things herself, could she? And this way, she'll accept them." Shigure smiled as he heard a clattering in the kitchen. "Well, speak of the devil." He said.  
"Good morning Shigure, Kyo. Would you like some breakfast?" Asked Tohru, coming into the dining room, carrying the morning tea. She smiled brightly, for all she looked a little pale. It had been a week since they had found out the news, and she had acclimated herself to it. Now she was concentrating on reading as much as she could find on pregnancy, giving birth, and babies. She was already experiencing the morning sickness.  
"Good morning Tohru. And how is our little flower feeling today, hmm?"  
"I'm feeling much better, thank you. I'm sorry if I kept everyone up last night."  
"Nonsense. You're blossoming with the fruit of new life. Of course there's going to be a few sleepless nights." Said Shigure, taking the tray from her as she sat down. He poured her a cup of the fragrant tea, then himself, and Kyo. "I think you'll like this. The noise you hear? It's workmen building your babies a nursery."  
Tohru went wide-eyed. "But I can't pay for it!" she said, standing up quickly. "I have to stop them! Maybe they haven't done anything yet and they won't charge too much!"  
"Tohru! Please! Think of it as family taking care of family. Besides, they will need their own room eventually. Why not have the main house pay for it?"  
"But it's too much! Just think how much money it takes to build a whole room!"  
"Actually they're building two."  
"That's even worse!" She turned to dash outside.  
Kyo stood up and pressed her back to her seat, his hand on her head to keep her there. "Stop running around like that, you're going to make yourself sick." He said, turning her head so she was looking him in the eye. "It's our fault you're like this, so let the main house foot the bill. Think of it as a baby shower present from the Family."  
"I couldn't have put it better myself." Said Shigure, smiling. "Now, how about breakfast? I feel like exercising my culinary muscles today, so why don't I cook?" Kyo and Tohru looked stunned. "What? Oh, don't worry, whatever Yuki says, I'm a master chef! Why, my stuffed octopus is a thing of legend!" he said, grinning broadly.  
"Stuffed octopus? For breakfast?" Said Kyo, turning a little green.  
"Oh, that sounds great! Shigure, are you sure you don't want me to cook?" Said Tohru, grinning back at him.  
"No need, princess! I have brought a meal fit for royalty!" said Ayame, pushing open the veranda doors with a flourish. He had several bags in one hand, a box of takeout food in the other. "I hope everyone's hungry! Where's my beloved baby brother?"  
"What are YOU doing here?" Asked Kyo, glaring at the flamboyant man. "And the damn rat's still sleeping. I don't see how, those stupid construction workers are making enough noise to wake the dead!"  
"Well, Hatori came over and informed me last night of the quandary we've found ourselves in, and I have to say, I was extremely upset! But then I thought of what an opportunity this was! Why, if one of them happens to be mine, then." his voice went from excited to dark and sultry, "maybe I have a chance to wrest the princess away from her ardent suitors and convince her I would be the best gentlemen to court her." Tohru frizzed and blushed. THUMP Ayame went down, a large lump forming on his head. "Yuki! I didn't see you standing there!" he said, his voice back to his original tone. He either didn't see the black flames rising up behind his brother, or chose to ignore them.  
"G-good morning Yuki." Said Tohru, eyes still spinning a bit. "Are you hungry?"  
"No thank you Miss Honda, seeing him here has ruined my appetite." Said Yuki, icicles dripping off his words.  
"Oh come now Yuki, you have to eat, after all, Aya went to so much trouble to bring us this delicious meal, the least you could do is enjoy it!" Said Shigure. "And Aya! Shame on you, trying to make me jealous like that!" He clasped his hands under his chin, sparkling at Ayame.  
"Oh, Shigure, mi amore, how could I have ever done such a thing?" Lamented Ayame, holding out his hand for Shigure. "You are the only one for me!" He sparkled back.  
"Oh cut it out!" Said Yuki. The two abruptly snapped out of it. "Why are you here, brother?"  
"Well, I knew Tohru would have NOTHING for them to wear, since she wasn't expecting the pregnancy, so I brought THESE!" Ayame said, holding up several baby outfits dripping in lace and ribbons. They were a variety of colors, ranging from the obvious pink and blue, all the way to orange. "I made them myself, of course." He said modestly.  
"Ayame! They're beautiful!" said Tohru, her eyes big. "But how can I ever thank you?"  
"It was my pleasure, princess. And Mine has already informed me she's making ALL your maternity clothing. She abhors the, as she put it, 'shapeless sacks that pass for women's clothing' that you get in OTHER stores. I of course, will be assisting her." He sparkled. "And it's given me a whole new idea! Stylish maternity wear! Why, I could make millions!" He said, laughing.  
"Oh, Ayame! It's too much! I could never repay you for all this!" said Tohru, folding the little outfits. One of them looked suspiciously like the white Chinese style shirt Yuki always wore. Another resembled Ayame's favorite outfit, only with a little pair of pants instead of a long robe.  
"And I have something from Momiji." Said Ayame. He pulled out an adorable stuffed rabbit. "He said this is for you specifically, not the babies, you."  
"Awww! It's so cute!" she cooed, hugging the little bunny close. She jumped when it started to sing. You are my sunshine, my only sunshine.Tears came to her eyes. "He's so sweet! Tell him thank you very much, Ayame."  
"Of course I will, Tohru." Said Ayame, his eyes soft.  
"That's so saccharin I'm getting tooth decay." Said Kyo.  
"I can put him right next to the stuffed kitten you got me, Kyo!" Said Tohru, running upstairs. Kyo blushed furiously.  
Shigure and Ayame grinned evilly. "Awwwww!" they cooed.  
"Did you get Tohru a little friend to keep her company at night, Lucky Kyo?" purred Ayame. Kyo flushed angrily.  
"I wonder if his sings?" Mused Shigure. "Maybe.love me tender?" A shade darker.  
"Or I'm too sexy?" rejoined Ayame. Darker still.  
"I know! I know! It's that song, Sex Kitten!" Said Shigure, holding up a victorious finger. Now an audible growling was added to the mix.  
"Yes!" said Ayame, touching his finger to Shigure's.  
"I'M GONNA KILL YOU!" Howled Kyo, leaping at them. A cloud of dust was kicked up, obscuring the three from sight. When it cleared, Kyo had Shigure in a headlock, and was sitting on Ayame, his neck in a pinch between his knees.  
"You're both crazy." Said Yuki. "Do you really think KYO of all people would give her a kitten that plays something like that?" he asked scornfully.  
All three of them froze, looking at him in amazement. Is the damn rat actually taking up for me? Wondered Kyo in bewilderment. "It plays Beautiful Dreamer, of course. I've heard her play it every night since he gave it to her."  
"YOU BASTARD!" Kyo yowled. He abandoned the bruised and broken Ayame and Shigure to leap for the smirking rat, who ducked to avoid the mad leap.  
"What's all the shouting about?" asked Tohru, coming into the room. Kyo and Yuki were out in the yard, trading blows. Ayame and Shigure were arguing playfully over a pad of paper. "Um, is everything ok in here?" asked Tohru, eyes going white.  
"Oh yes, Princess, just a bit of a spat between Lucky Kyo and my dear brother. Nothing to be alarmed about." Said Ayame, patting the cushion beside him invitingly. "Come here and look at this list."  
"What list?" Asked Tohru, settling down on the proffered cushion.  
"Why the baby supply list, of course!" Said Shigure, beaming.  
Tohru frizzed. "Isn't it a little too early to worry about this?" she said, voice cracking slightly.  
"Not at all! Once the workmen finish building the room, we have to furnish it for FOUR infants! And since one or more of them could potentially be mine, of course the room is going to have STYLE and CLASS!" Said Ayame, sparkling. *WHAM*  
"Don't you two think that as the mother, Tohru should have final say in what goes in the room?" asked Kyo, twitching slightly, a vein popping on his fist. Yuki stood behind him, glaring at the two cousins.  
"Of course!" said Ayame scornfully. "We're just making a general list of things needed. Kagura plans to take Tohru out shopping in a few months to purchase the items."  
"When are the workmen going to be done?"  
"Kenji said he'd give me an estimate when the work was done for today. It all depends on how much they get done today. Once they get the foundation laid, it's just a matter of framing it in and building. He already had the hard part, the design."  
"I've seen the plans, the room is going to be lovely! But I'm jealous! Their closet is going to be bigger than mine!" Said Ayame, pouting. Then he cheered up, drawing little outfits like a man possessed. "But that just means I have to help them fill it! After all, they'll be living here, and no one here but Tohru has ANY fashion sense."  
"Aya! How could you!" Moaned Shigure, lower lip trembling.  
"As much as I adore you, Shigure, that outfit looks like a sack!" sniffed Ayame, looking him up and down.  
"I'm shattered! I'll never recover!" Moaned Shigure, one arm tossed across his face dramatically. "Aya doesn't like my clothing choices!"  
"Oh Shigure, I much prefer what's UNDER the clothing." Said Ayame, his voice low.  
"Aya! Not in front of the children!" said Shigure, his eyes going smoky.  
A pause while they gazed at each other, then."YES!" they said, touching fingers once again.  
"Do you two ever stop?" Sighed Yuki, shaking his head.  
* * *  
"Hi Tohru! Where are you?" Uo's cheerful voice rang out over the quiet house.  
"Uo! I'm in the dining room!" said Tohru, eyes lighting up. She was on forced rest. Kyo, Yuki and Shigure had been treating her like spun glass ever since she started showing. She was only two months along, but with carrying four, she started showing a little early. It was only a little curve to her stomach, barely noticeable if you weren't looking, but the three cousins had been watching her like hawks. They noticed. Hence the enforced rest periods during the day. Tohru couldn't wait to get back to school. She had maybe a month to a month and a half before she would be forced to get a tutor and be home schooled until the babies were born.  
"Where is everyone?" Uo asked, glancing around the room. "I don't even hear orange top, and you can normally hear him anywhere."  
"Shut up, ya damn Yankee!" Kyo yelled from upstairs.  
"Oh, there he is." Said Hana. She put a plate of cookies on the table beside Tohru. "Here, Tohru, my mother made you some cookies. She said she simply had to have them when she was pregnant with my sisters."  
"How are the twins?" asked Tohru, biting into one of the proffered treats. Her eyes closed in ecstasy. She finished the first one quickly, then went to the next.  
"They're enjoying their college courses, thank you for asking. They also said what you were having. Would you care to know?"  
"Umm, I don't know." Said Tohru, looking surprised. "Your sisters can see things like that?"  
"Only for people close to them." Said Hana, smiling slightly.  
"Well, I think I'd like to know, but I think Yuki and Kyo should hear it too. You can see the nursery at the same time. That's where all three of them are, painting it. They said paint fumes wouldn't be good for the babies, and made me come sit in here." Said Tohru, sweat dropping.  
"Boy, just like mother hens, aren't they?" said Uo, grinning.  
"Uh huh." Said Tohru, sighing. "Not that I don't appreciate it, but how am I supposed to earn my keep if I'm just.sitting."  
"Think of it as maternity leave and enjoy it." Said Hana. "When the babies get here, I don't think you're going to be getting much rest."  
"You're probably right." Said Tohru, picking up the plate of the cookies. "I'll take these up to the boys. They're probably hungry after working all this time." She smiled cheerfully. Hana smirked silently and wished she had a camera. "Yuki, Kyo, Shigure! I'm bringing Hana and Uo up, they want to see the room!"  
"Come on up, Miss Honda. We've had the window's open and the smell isn't that bad." Said Yuki. "We're almost done." Kyo was working carefully on the white trim on the windows, while Shigure was working on the ceiling with a long handled roller. Yuki had the tedious job of rolling the light green paint on the walls, in rolling, sweeping arcs. Or at least the bottom half. The top half was blue. Drop cloths covered the floor, shielding the hardwood's shining new finish.  
Shigure dropped his paint roller in the tray of black paint, leaving the ceiling half covered. "What have we here?" He asked, rubbing his hands together. "A treat for your hardworking men?"  
"Yes! Hana's mother made these cookies, and I thought you might like some." She said, offering him the plate.  
He took one and inhaled gratefully. "Ah, the sweet smell of baked goods. Was there ever anything better?" he asked whimsically as he took a large bite. He immediately turned green. He chewed once, then swallowed, gulping once or twice to keep it down. "Um, Tohru, what kind of cookies are these?"  
"I don't know. They're delicious though." Said Tohru, taking another cookie herself and biting into it happily. Shigure looked disgusted.  
"They're chocolate chip." Said Hana, evenly. "With a special, added ingredient."  
"I thought these tasted a little bit better than mine!" said Tohru, smiling. "What's the ingredient, if your mother doesn't mind me knowing?"  
"Oh, she doesn't mind at all. It's anchovie paste. She puts a tablespoon of anchovie paste into the dough just before baking. " Said Hana, looking innocent. "She said it was the only thing she was able to eat the first month or two. I can get the recipe if you like."  
Uo laughed. "So that's why you wouldn't let me try one."  
"." Hana smiled. "So, Tohru, why did you choose these colors?" she asked, blatantly changing the subject.  
"Well, we couldn't agree at first." Said Tohru, nibbling another cookie. "I wanted yellow, Yuki wanted green, Kyo wanted blue, and Shigure wanted white. We all wanted to paint the ceiling black and have constellations that glow in the dark, so we had to pick a color that would look good next to that. We couldn't decide. So. We finally decided to do a landscape mural thing. We can do the basics, the sky and grass and stuff, but Ritsu is going to come in and paint the detail. He's really good!" She smiled. "He won't tell us what it's going to look like, though, just that we're going to like it."  
"It's going to be lovely, Tohru." Said Hana. "What about furniture?"  
"We decided to wait and see what Ritsu did to the walls before we got furniture, but the closet already has enough beautiful clothes for a dozen babies." Said Shigure. He opened the closet door so the two girls could see.  
Their eyes widened. "Damn Tohru, who paid for all those?" asked Uo.  
"Umm, Ayame, Yuki's brother, made them."  
"The one who owns the lingerie store?"  
  
"Uh huh!"  
"Very nice." Said Hana, pulling out a little green silk shirt. "But not very practical for infants."  
"No shit." Said Kyo, snorting. He rubbed the back of his hand across his forehead, leaving a streak of white paint behind. "I told 'im the kids'll have those things in rags before they're old enough to crawl, but he wouldn't listen."  
"You know that when Aya has an idea in his head, it's impossible to stop him." Said Shigure. They sat, chatting, until a tiny voice from downstairs interrupted their conversation.  
"Is that him?" Asked Uo, cocking her head. "It sounded like a mouse squeaking."  
"Then it was him." Said Kyo. "Brace yourself. He's.strange."  
"Orange top, coming from you, that's almost a compliment." Said Uo. "Let's go say hi."  
* * *  
Uo's hair frizzed when she saw the young.man.standing in the entry, holding a bag.. "Is he wearing a woman's kimono?"  
"Yes." Said Yuki, bowing his head. "Don't ask. Just don't ask."  
"H-hello Miss Tohru, how are you feeling?" asked Ritsu, bowing to the girl.  
"Oh, I'm feeling great, Ritsu! Thank you so much for asking!" Said Tohru, a happy grin on her face. "Oh, are those the pictures?"  
"Pictures?" asked Hana.  
"Oh, I'm sorry, I forgot to introduce you! Ritsu Sohma, this is Saki Hanajima and Arisa Uotani. They're my best friends from school. They came over to see your beautiful designs!" Said Tohru.  
Ritsu blushed. "Oh, they're not very good." He said timidly. "I'm sure they have something better to do than look at my poor excuse for artwork."  
"I'm sure they're beautiful." Said Shigure, coming down the stairs. He reached for the bag, then pulled out a stack of drawings on thick sketch paper. "You see, I was right!" he said, clapping Ritsu on the back. "They're lovely. Tohru, come down and see what Ritsu has planned for your babies room."  
He held out the drawings to Tohru, who gasped happily. "Oh, Ritsu! I had no idea you had so much talent!" she said, beaming at him. He turned a bright red and smiled at her happily. She looked back down at the elaborate sketches for the nursery walls. There were four, one for each wall. The most obvious thing you saw when you lined them up side by side, which Tohru did on the floor, so everyone could see them, was the path. It started in the first picture, just as a tiny line near the ceiling, then continued down and off the side of the paper, widening as it went until it was an obvious dirt path through a forest filled with blooming sakura trees. Little animal faces peered out of the bushes and branches. They could spot a little boar, a cat, and a rabbit, just by looking. Ritsu had to point out the little rat, curled up in a birds' nest, and a little snake, curled around a flower.  
The second drawing continued the path through a meadow, filled with wildflowers. A stream cut across one side, with the path continuing in a bridge and off the edge of the paper once again. A cow and a horse could be seen grazing side by side near the stream. A little lamb was curled up near the edge of the water. A wreath of flowers was around the cow's horns, and the horse had a halter with bells.  
The third picture was of a tiny village, no more than three houses, the path running through their little grouping and again, off the side. A small garden was beside one house, a girl who looked suspiciously like Tohru tending it. A dog was asleep beside her. Another house had a little chicken yard, with a little rooster perched on the fence post.  
The last drawing was the most beautiful. It was a full on face drawing of a castle. It was the wall you saw when you came into the room; the front gates were the window. A beautiful green and red dragon curled around the castle, not attacking, but defending. The path curved around and ended right at the windowsill, leading right into the castle. A beautiful princess, who again resembled Tohru, was walking by the watchful eyes of the dragon, with her little pet monkey sitting on her shoulder with a golden collar around it's neck. A little tiger cub paced along beside her, a wreath of flowers around its neck.  
Tohru gazed at the anxious Ritsu. "Oh Ritsu. It-it's beautiful! Oh, how could I ever thank you for this? It's incredible!" she said, tears dripping down her cheeks.  
"I'm sorry, I've made you cry!" said Ritsu, looking horrified. "I'll take these back! I'M SORRY! I NEVER SHOULD HAVE SUGGESTED I WOULD SULLY YOUR NURSERY WITH MY HORRIBLE EXCUSE FOR ART! I'M SORRY, I'M SORRY." He babbled, gathering up his things and preparing to leave. A hand on his shoulder stopped him. Tohru stood behind him, a smile on her face, tears still dripping from her eyes.  
She looked at the others. "Please excuse us." She said, leading the distraught Ritsu down the hall. She led him into her room, then shut the door, where a happy squeal could be heard, then a muffled boom. They could hear her chanting thank you as she seemingly danced around the room, if her muffled thumps were anything to go by. She came out a second later, alone. "Sorry, but Ritsu is a little surprised right now, it would be better if we let him calm down a little bit."  
"Why'd you have to take him into the other room to thank him?" asked Uo.  
"None of the Sohma's are that comfortable showing affection around strangers. If Tohru had hugged Ritsu in front of you two, he would have been very embarrassed." Said Shigure, smoothly. Another muffled BOOM echoed through the house. Ritsu came out a minute later, blushing, but smiling happily once again.  
"So, you-you really like them, Tohru?" he asked timidly.  
"Of course I do!" She said, beaming. "Do I have to show you again?"  
He smiled back at her. "No, that's alright. But I should get started as soon as possible. If I don't get started sketching in the design now, they'll be in college before it's done." He said, going back to his bag. "I'll be here a while, why don't you go downstairs and have something to eat? You're eating for five now." Shigure laughed and herded them all down the stairs, shutting the door on Ritsu, who had tied his voluminous sleeves back and started on the first tree.  
"You know Hana, you never told me what I was having." Said Tohru.  
"What you're having?" Yuki asked, puzzled.  
"Yes, Hana's sisters can tell things like that." Tohru said cheerfully. "And Megume curses people."  
Yuki, Shigure, and Kyo looked nervous. "Somehow, I don't think she means bad language." Said Shigure.  
"I wanted Hana to wait until you guys were here, 'cause I thought you would want to know too." Said Tohru. "Ok, so, what are they?" She turned expectantly to Hana, who smiled.  
"Three girls and a little boy." She said, gazing at Tohru's little stomach swell. "And they're doing very well."  
"Did you hear that, Yuki, Kyo? We're going to have three little girls and a boy to spoil rotten!" said Shigure, beaming. "I'll be right back, Aya and Hari HAVE to know!" He dashed off to the phone, humming to himself. "Aya! Guess what!" he said before he couldn't be heard anymore.  
"Three girls, huh?" said Kyo.  
"A boy." Said Yuki.  
"I just hope they're healthy!" said Tohru, beaming. "Ummm, is anyone else hungry? I feel like pizza! With pineapple! And clams!"  
"Eurgh." Said Kyo. "Can we get pepperoni too?"  
"Tohru, Aya wants to talk to you!" said Shigure, a finger in his ear. Ayame could clearly be heard over the phone, shouting in glee. Something about mother/daughter/son dresses, hair ribbons, and sailor suits.  
* * *  
"Tohru Honda, please come to the main office, Tohru Honda." A female voice over the intercom said. Tohru looked up from her lunch. She had stopped wanting strange foods, much to the boys' relief. If they had to smell one more batch of anchovie cookies bake.  
"I wonder what that's all about?" pondered Uo.  
"I guess we'll find out." Said Tohru, getting up. "If I'm not back by the time class starts, take notes for me, please." She smoothed her skirt down and started to leave the classroom.  
"Wait a second, miss Honda, and I'll walk with you." Said Yuki. "I needed to talk to President Takai about next year."  
"Ok! Did you finish all your lunch?" said Tohru.  
"Yes. And I have to say, the shrimp were delicious." Said Yuki, smiling.  
"Yeah, but I didn't make them, Kisa came over, and her mom sent them with her. I had already made dinner, so I saved them for lunch today."  
"I thought they tasted a little strange, not nearly as good as they usually were, I just didn't want to say anything." Said Yuki, totally changing his tune.  
"You're silly." Said Tohru, tapping his nose.  
"Thank you." Said Yuki, tapping her back. They smiled at each other, then entered the office.  
* * *  
"Miss Honda, I received some rather unsettling information about you this afternoon." Said Principal Takada. "Do you have any idea what it might have been?"  
"I think so." Said Tohru, looking down.  
"Is it true?" Asked the principal, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his desk.  
"Yes."  
"Who is the father?"  
"I don't know." Said Tohru, her eyes hidden by her hair. "It wasn't consensual."  
"Did you ever consider abortion?"  
"No, not even for a second." Said Tohru firmly.  
"I see. How far along are you?"  
"I'm a little over three months, closer to three and a half."  
"I'm desperately sorry for this, Tohru, as you're one of our best students. Especially considering the circumstances concerning the pregnancy. But the fact remains. You cannot stay in this school and be pregnant. Once the baby is born, you may continue, or you have the option of dropping out completely."  
"I knew it was going to happen eventually. I plan to get a tutor and continue my education at home." Said Tohru, standing. "I'll finish today, if that's ok?"  
"It's fine. I'll allow you to take your mid term tests, as well. It will give you a base to start on if you return."  
"Thank you." She murmured, closing the door behind her.  
"Are you finished, Miss.Miss Honda, what's the matter?" Asked Yuki, seeing the sparkling tear tracks running down her cheeks.  
"They found out, Yuki. Someone called and told them. Today is my last day." Said Tohru, trying her hardest to burst into tears in the middle of the main office.  
Yuki frowned. It had to have been Akito. He thought. Can't he just leave her alone? "Come on Miss Honda, lets go back to class." He took her arm and linked it with his, tucking her hand in the crook of his elbow. "It'll be alright."  
"I know. I just can't help but think of mom. She'll be so disappointed."  
"Disappointed about what? You're going to keep learning, and eventually, you'll get your diploma. Just as she wished. You'll just do it in a different way then we all thought you would." He smiled. "Besides. I think she would be delighted to have grandchildren." They disappeared into the classroom, not seeing the girl who had just come around the corner, and had heard the last bit of the conversation. Her eyes were huge. Oh my god! Prince Yuki got Tohru Honda pregnant! By the end of the day, the rumor was all over school.  
* * *  
"Tohru, did something happen at school today?" Shigure asked as soon as they came in that afternoon. Kyo had cleanup duty, so Yuki and Tohru left without him.  
"Um, I was asked to quit school as long as I was pregnant. They said I could come back after the babies were born." Said Tohru, her voice shaking.  
"I guessed something had happened. The Sohma's private tutor came by today, said Akito had sent her. She is to continue your schooling, free of charge." Said Shigure, his face a blank.  
"I highly doubt it's coincidence she showed up today." Said Yuki.  
"Me either. I think-" Whatever Shigure was going to say was cut off abruptly as Kyo burst into the room, blazing like a volcano.  
"YOU DAMN RAT!" He howled, bringing his fist back to smash Yuki's nose flat.  
Yuki jumped back and kicked Kyo into the stairs. There was no defense; Kyo was too angry. "What's wrong with you, stupid cat?"  
"THE WHOLE FUCKING SCHOOL THINKS YOU GOT HER PREGNANT!" Kyo snarled, pointing at Tohru, who went pale.  
"What are you talking about?" Shigure asked, glaring at Kyo. "And stop yelling! You're scaring Tohru!"  
Kyo looked over at the shaking Tohru and visibly calmed down. He clenched his fists. "Someone heard you talking, you DAMN STUPID RAT! Half the school thinks you're the father, half of 'em think I am, and the rest don't think it's true. But the ones that DO are the ones who're the problem! They're spreading all sorts of rumors, that get worse every FUCKING TIME THEY'RE TOLD!"  
Tohru sank to her knees and burst into tears. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry." she kept mumbling, her hands over her face. "If it weren't for me, you wouldn't have to go through all this."  
"And if it weren't for US, you wouldn't be pregnant in the first place!" Said Kyo. "Shut up! It's not your fault! It's Akito's fault for doing it, and it's the DAMN school's fault for spreading the rumor and being STUPID enough to believe it!" He sobs didn't stop. Kyo sighed, then pulled her close. With a muffled boom he transformed. Curving himself around her neck and over her shoulders, he started purring in her ear.  
Shigure's eyes lit up. "Now why didn't we think of that?" he asked Yuki, who shrugged. They both hugged the trembling girl close, then, after they transformed, snuggled into her lap, offering her all the comfort they could as sobs shook her delicate frame.  
Yuki started singing slowly, perched on her knee by her face. "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine."  
Shigure joined in. "You make me happy, when skies are grey." Kyo's purring provided a soothing counterpoint. They all three harmonized beautifully. "You'll never know dear, how much we love you, please don't take our sunshine away."  
* * *  
"Have you heard about Tohru Honda?" A girl who was mopping the floor down the hall from Haru, who had to help with cleanup that night, whispered to another. He looked up.  
"Yeah! She got herself knock up." Said the other girl.  
"I'm surprised it took this long." Said the first girl, sniffing. "After all, living with Prince Yuki and those other two boys!"  
"And people are blaming it on poor Yuki!" Lamented girl 2. "If you ask me, it was that author guy. He's always ogling girls and stuff, and she just wants to say the prince liked her enough to sleep with her."  
Haru had enough, going black instantly. He snuck up behind them, slinging an arm around each of their shoulders, scaring them slightly. "Listen you stupid pair of gossiping bitches." He muttered in their ears. "You know nothing about Tohru's situation, you know nothing about her, and you definitely know nothing about Yuki. I really suggest you keep quiet, and suppress any rumors you might hear, 'cause if it gets back to me that you could have stopped one of 'em, and you didn't, well, I'm just gonna have ta tell the school about all those skipped classes. You know the one's I'm talking about, the ones where you snuck off with Yoshi and Disuke."  
He grinned maliciously. "It might help stop the rumor about Tohru, if they have a new one to chew over. Of course, your reps would be shit, but does it really look like I care?" The girls ran down the hall, blue with fright. "Now, lets see how many people I have to hurt before we snip this rumor in the bud." He said, cracking his knuckles as he strode down the hall.  
* * *  
"What happened?" asked Hatori, wrapping Haru's knuckles and putting a bandage on his ribs, which were badly bruised.  
"I heard people talking about Tohru today." Said Haru, still Black. "I didn't like what they were saying, so I stopped 'em."  
"What were they saying?"  
  
"I don't wanna repeat it, I'll get more pissed than I already am." Said Haru. "I think I put one of them in the hospital after he called her a whore." Hatori sighed and packed away his bag. "You know fighting won't solve anything."  
"Yeah, but it makes me feel a hell of a lot better." Said Haru with a sneer.  
"Enough. Come with me, I think Tohru will need some cheering up. I was planning to go next week, but I think it would be better if I did it tonight."  
"Did what?"  
"Showed her why she was dismissed from school."  
* * *  
"Hari! What a pleasant surprise! And Haru too! Well, this is delightful. What brings you here, besides the aromas of Tohru's marvelous cooking, which I'm sure drifted all the way to the main house?" Shigure said cheerfully. He scooted over so Haru and Hari could sit beside him, then poured each of them a cup of tea. He also noticed Haru's bandages and feral look, so didn't say anything when he sat down beside Tohru.  
"I'm sorry to come so late, but I decided today would be a good day for Tohru's checkup." Said Hatori, setting a strange looking instrument beside him on the floor.  
"It's ok, Hatori. Would you like some dinner?" Tohru asked, holding out a bowl of stew. Hatori accepted with a nod. She handed one to Haru as well. "What's that?" she asked, pointing to the machine that looked suspiciously like a karaoke machine.  
"It's a Doptone." Said Hatori. "It's to hear your babies' heartbeats. You're far enough along that you can, now."  
"Tohru's eyes lit up. "Really?"  
"Yes. But first, I want to get the regular checkup out of the way. Then we can come back in here for the Doptone so everyone can hear." They disappeared upstairs.  
"So, Haru. What set you off?" asked Shigure. "I can tell you're Black."  
"I had to knock some sense into some guys at school today." Said Haru. "They were calling Tohru names." He grinned evilly. "I don't think they're gonna do it again, after they get out of the hospital. Don't know if they CAN with their jaws wired shut."  
"You broke their jaws?" Yuki asked in amazement.  
"A few." Said Haru casually. "A couple others got noses, and I think one got off easy with a black eye."  
"Good work." Kyo said, nodding. Haru nodded back, smirking, while the other two sweat dropped.  
"She's in perfect health." Said Hatori, coming back down stairs. "I told her to put on a shirt and pants instead of the dress so she can pull it up a bit for the Doptone. She's a little underweight, so I want you to cut down on her work load."  
"Consider it done, Hari." Said Shigure. "We've been trying, but now that it's doctors orders, she'll have to listen."  
"Have to listen to what?" asked Tohru, coming into the room. Haru jumped up to help her sit down, then settled back in his seat too. "Thank you, Haru."  
"Welcome." He grunted.  
Hatori brought the machine to her, setting it on the table. "Lie back, please Tohru. It would be better if we did this in a bed, or on a table, but reclined will do well enough." Haru scooted his cushion out from under him and sat back down, his legs up, knees near the chest. He set the cushion on his shins, then scooted Tohru back so her back was against the cushioned shins. She blushed horribly.  
"That's perfect. Hold still." Hatori said, lifting her shirt and lowering the elastic waistline of her pants so the curve of her belly was plainly seen by all. She blushed deeper, then squealed when the cold gel was applied to the little bulge.  
"Sorry, I should have warned you. This gel helps the sound waves carry to the machine." Said Hatori, smoothing the gel down with his hand. He turned on the instrument, then ran it over her gel covered stomach. The room was completely silent, then.*bump*bump*bump.*  
"There's one of your babies, Tohru." Hatori said, smiling at the look of amazement on her face.  
"That's one of 'em?" Kyo asked, creeping closer so he could hear better.  
"Amazing. It seems so much more.real now." Said Shigure, grinning.  
"Can we hear the others?" Yuki asked.  
"We can try." Said Hatori, moving the microphone. A second, faster heartbeat came over the speakers, then a third and fourth, slower than the other two. "One, two, three, four." Said Hatori. "They're all doing very well." He got a rag and wiped the gel off Tohru's stomach, then rolled up the mic and its chord, laying it on top of the machine. He popped out a tape, and handed it to Tohru. "Your babies' first sounds." He said.  
"Thank you, Hatori." Said Tohru, clutching the tape to her chest. Haru reached up and ruffled her hair. She smiled at him, then the rest of the room. "I'm going to go put this in a safe place." She said, standing to leave. She put a gentle hand to her stomach as she went.  
"Good job, Hari." Said Shigure. Hatori smiled, knowing he wasn't talking about his medical skills.  
* * *  
"Finally." Tohru said, stretching her arms over her head to work out the kinks in her back. Tapping her papers into a neat stack, she stood up from the dining table, which was covered in various books, papers and other educational paraphernalia, thanking god that she had remembered to sit by the wall so she could do it unassisted. If she had to call Shigure one more time...she sighed again. Five months. Five months pregnant and she felt like a whale. She walked to the kitchen, wanting a cup of tea and a hot water bottle before she started lunch for herself and Shigure. Her back was killing her.  
Since she was relieved of school duties, her housework had been cut down to almost nothing. No more stretching to hang up laundry; that was Kyo's job. Going shopping? Yuki did it after school. Vacuuming, mopping, dusting? Shigure did it, believe it or not. Basically the only thing she WAS allowed to do was cook, and that was only because she swore she'd go out and dig a new Koi pond if she didn't have something to do soon. For the three boys it was the lesser of two evils.  
"He-hello?" A timid voice called from the veranda. "Is anyone home?"  
"Ritsu!" Tohru called out. "I'm in the kitchen!"  
"Hello Tohru, how are you doing today?" Ritsu asked, carrying his bag of painting supplies.  
"Very well, thank you." Tohru said. "I just feel a little.big."  
"You're supposed to, you're pregnant." Said Ritsu, smiling. "I should be all done with the painting today, all I have to do is finish some details, and you can go get furniture. I'm sorry it's taken so long, but mother really needed help in the Baths, and."  
"It's no problem, Ritsu, really. I'm amazed at how much you've gotten done just working on it a day or two a week!" Said Tohru. She offered him a cup of tea, then poured one for herself. They went back to the dining room, where Tohru sat down with a sigh. "I'll be so glad when they're born. I'll be able to do something besides sit."  
"Shigure and the others are still doing everything?"  
"Yes. Not that I don't appreciate it, but."  
"You're getting bored."  
"Uh huh." She winced. "And the backaches don't help." She said, putting the hot water bottle more firmly on her spine.  
"Well, I could help you with that." Said Ritsu. He blushed a dark red. "I'm the masseuse at the baths. I could rub your back for you."  
"Tohru looked surprised. "You're the masseuse?"  
"Yes. I've been trained in it for four years. I've been told I'm tolerant at it." He smiled shyly. "And even my humble talents have to help, if you'll let me."  
"That would be very nice, Ritsu, thank you." Tohru said, smiling at him.  
Ritsu nodded and laid the pillows around the table on the floor in a line. "Lie here, please, Tohru." He said, rolling up his long kimono sleeves. She obliged, her hands under her chin. He started with her shoulders, working the muscles firmly, with circular strokes. He shook his head when he felt the knots and tenseness, and rubbed harder, smiling when he felt the tension drain away. He worked lower to her mid back, smoothing muscles and tapping various points on her back where nerve clusters rested, further relaxing her. She sighed happily as the tension that had been plaguing her for a week was abated. You really didn't appreciate how much a baby weighed until you were carrying four. She mused. He finally started on her lower back, where the tension was the worst. He pressed firmly and held, releasing the tension and massaged away the spasms of relaxing muscles. He finished the massage with her feet and calves, leaving her a sated puddle of relaxed flesh on the floor.  
  
"Is that better, Miss Tohru?" Ritsu asked, putting the hot water bottle back on her back.  
"Mmmmmm." Tohru said, still unable to move. She was drifting off to sleep.  
Ritsu finished his tea and smiled. His massages tended to do that. She would recover eventually. He would just let her lie there and rest until then. He went upstairs, intent on finishing the room by the end of the day. He had finally stopped freaking out around Tohru, if only to keep HER from freaking out. It couldn't be good for the babies. He acted the same way around everyone else, though, which frustrated Kyo to no end.  
"Oh, that was so nice. I just wish I hadn't fallen asleep on him." Tohru said to herself an hour later, after her nap. She picked up the dirty teacups and took them into the kitchen for washing, humming to herself. Then she started to scream.  
Shigure looked up from his computer in alarm. He dashed down the hall and into the kitchen, where the screams originated. Ritsu had come down the stairs behind him, pale with fright and covered in paint; he had spilled half a bucket on himself when Tohru started screaming. "Tohru! Tohru, what's the matter? Is something wrong?" Shigure asked, checking her for injuries.  
  
"Shi-Shigure!" Tohru croaked. "Moved!"  
"What moved? Was it an earthquake?" Shigure asked.  
"No! They moved!" she said, putting his hand on her stomach. His eyes grew wide when he felt the fluttering against his hand, low in her abdomen.  
  
His eyes were bright as he turned to Ritsu, who hovered near the door, ready to call for Hatori. "Come here, Ritsu, feel this." He said.  
"No! No I couldn't!" Ritsu stammered, but inched closer, his hand twitching at his side. He plainly wanted to. "It-it wouldn't be respectful!" Tohru smiled at him, tears in her eyes. She grabbed his hand too, and set it beside Shigure's. He gasped when he too, felt the fluttering of a baby's kick. "Amazing." He whispered, blushing. He took his hand away. "I'd better go finish their room." He bowed low to Tohru. "Thank you, Tohru, for letting me have this experience." He said as he left.  
* * *  
"That's amazing, Miss Honda." Said Yuki that night. He had brought home the groceries for the week and found them all sitting around, Shigure and Ritsu with their hands on Tohru's stomach. Needless to say, he was a little surprised. Then he was invited too and joined the party, all of them grinning like fools.  
"They're just moving, it's no big deal." Said Kyo, propping his chin on his hand. There was no room for him, Tohru only had so much stomach, and he was sulking. Shigure and Yuki grinned, then hauled the surprised cat over and placed his hand on the area where the movement was the most pronounced. He blushed hotly and started to yell at them, then froze when a flurry of kicks jabbed against his hand. He stared at the spot in amazement, then jumped up. "Hell. This ain't gettin' dinner cooked." He muttered, going into the kitchen, a flush still on his cheekbones.  
"Oh, wait Kyo, I'll go make dinner if you're hungry!" said Tohru, trying and failing to stand. She wasn't braced against the wall this time.  
"Forget it. I'll cook. You sit there and.be pregnant or something."  
Tohru laughed. "Fine with me, 'cause I don't think I can get up." She smiled as the men around her all offered a hand. "No, I'm alright." Kyo came in carrying a tray of rice and fish, leftovers from last night. They all sat down to eat.  
"So, did you finish the room, Ritsu?" Asked Yuki. "It just needed a few touches, didn't it?"  
  
"Yes. I had to paint in a few scales on the dragon, and finish the details on the houses and castle. But it's finished now." Said Ritsu. "You can start moving the furniture in."  
"We have to go buy some first." Said Kyo. "I thought Kagura was supposed to come and take you shopping."  
"I wanted to wait until Ritsu got the room done, so we could match the furniture to the room."  
Ritsu looked horrified. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to keep you from buying furniture for the babies! I'll apologize to them as soon as they're born, I promise!" he babbled.  
"Ritsu! It's ok! You were just being sure you were doing a good job on the room! I'm sure as soon as they can understand just how hard you worked on it, they'll thank you too." Said Tohru. She patted his arm reassuringly.  
"Really?" he asked timidly. "But it was no trouble at all! I enjoyed doing it!"  
"And we're very grateful!" said Shigure.  
"In fact, I wanted to ask you, would you go shopping with Kagura and me, after all, you painted it, you should help decorate it!" Said Tohru, smiling brightly.  
Ritsu looked like someone had just handed him a sack of raw diamonds. "Oh, I'd be honored!" he said.  
"I'd wait for a while." Said Shigure. "The baby shower is coming up soon, who knows what you're going to get."  
"Baby shower?" Tohru asked, her hair frizzing out. "What baby shower!?"  
Kyo smacked Shigure hard on the head. "You idiot! It was supposed to be a SURPRISE!"  
"Oops." Shigure said, fanning himself. "I think I let the cat out of the bag."  
"No, you just opened your big stupid MOUTH." Said Kyo.  
"It's alright!" said Tohru, smiling at the dog. "I'd really rather know. That way I don't do something embarrassing, like walk in wearing my pajamas or something!" she said. "I did that once. Mom was throwing me a huge surprise party, and I had just woken up. My hair was a mess, and my pajamas were one of my mother's old holey tee-shirts. I was so embarrassed!"  
"Well, I suppose that's a good point." Said Yuki. "We never thought you might not want a baby shower."  
"Oh! I didn't mean to imply I was ungrateful for it! I really appreciate all the thought that must have gone into it, and I'm sure it's going to be very nice. I'll tell you what, you just tell me what day it is, that way I'll still be surprised when the TIME comes!"  
"What a good idea." Shigure said, smiling. "It's this Saturday. And you're not allowed to cook, clean, or do anything to prepare for it, either." He said, shaking a finger at her. "I know you."  
She blushed. "Well, I could make rice balls."  
  
He sighed heavily. "Oh Tohru, are you trying to get me in serious trouble?"  
Her hair frizzed. "In trouble? How?" she asked, eyes wide and white.  
"Because, if you have food prepared, they'll know you knew about the party. And since it's a SURPRISE party, they'll know someone told you. Of COURSE they'll blame me, they always do." He said, tears flowing down his cheeks in rivers  
"Maybe because it's always your fault?" Yuki asked, taking the last bite of dinner. He sighed and got up. "I have to go put the tarp over the garden, it's going to rain tonight." He looked at Tohru. "Would you like to come with me, Miss Honda? The fresh air and exercise should do you good."  
"Sure!" she said, putting her chopsticks across her empty plate. "Just leave the dishes, I'll get them when we get back." She said, smiling at the other three boys. They waved.  
"We'll be back in half an hour." Said Yuki meaningfully.  
The others nodded back, then hopped up after they left. "Ok, Yuki got her out of the house, now lets get this place decorated, the guests will be here in ten minutes!"  
"Who's bringin' the food?" Asked Kyo, pulling rolls of crepe paper out from under the table.  
  
"Ayame got the food." Said Ritsu, clearing the dishes off the table and quickly taking them to the kitchen for a wash. They'd need all the plates they could get.  
"And Haru got the cake." Said Shigure. "Our presents are upstairs." He pinned a banner he had made earlier across the veranda door.  
"And mine was buried under the paints and things in my bag. She didn't see it." Said Ritsu, carrying the stack of newly cleaned plates back to the dining room. He set them on one end of the cleared table and went to help Kyo hang the streamers.  
"We told you the room would be present enough." Said Shigure.  
"It's not really from me, it's from mother." Said Ritsu.  
"Well, that's ok, then."  
"Stop yappin' and start hangin'! Said Kyo, tossing them both a roll of streamers. They quickly complied, with a few frenzied apologies from Ritsu. A knock on the door interrupted their frantic work. "tell whoever it is to get their ass in here and help!" he told Shigure, who went to answer the door.  
"Hi Shigure!" Momiji said, bouncing in, a huge brightly colored parcel in his hands. Kisa and Hiro came behind, both carrying a more moderately sized wrapped gift.  
"Good evening, Momiji, Kisa, Hiro." Shigure said, relieving them of their burdens. "Are you ready for the party?"  
"Yeah! Is Tohru gone?" asked Momiji.  
"For the moment. How did you get here?"  
"Oh, Hari drove, but him and Haru are carrying his present, and we left 'em." Said Momiji cheerfully.  
"Never occurred to you to help them, did it." Said Shigure.  
  
"I offered, but they said no." Momiji said. He froze as a kick nearly buckled the fragile door. "But they did tell me to open the door." He said as he slid it wide. Hiro and Kisa moved back.  
"Momiji, this is very heavy." Said Hatori dryly. "And very delicate. If I drop it, I'll really have a new rabbit skin to wrap the babies in." Shigure and Momiji laughed.  
"Hari, this is heavy." Said Haru, looking deadpan.  
"Sorry. Move, Shigure." Hatori said, shouldering past the still giggling dog.  
Who abruptly stopped giggling. "Haru! I didn't know you still did woodcarving!" He said, running a hand over the smooth cherry as it went past him.  
"I do it to relax." Haru said mildly, setting the beautiful cradle down in the dining room with a sigh. He rubbed his shoulders as the others examined the cradle, marveling over it.  
"Well. I think the only present that compares with this is the painting Ritsu's been working on." Said Shigure.  
"No! This is much better than my humble sketches." Ritsu said meekly.  
"Nonsense! They go perfectly together!" Shigure said, clapping Ritsu on the back heartily, almost making the poor monkey hit the floor. The doorbell rang again, this time to admit Kagura, Uo, and Hana.  
"Look who I found wandering up the path!" Kagura said cheerfully. She tossed her present at Shigure who fumbled with it before catching it, and ran towards Kyo, sighing happily. He ran for the hills. Hatori snagged her before she could run after him and made her help hang streamers.  
Ayame showed up last, a completely HUGE box in his hands a platter of various finger foods rested on top. "SHIGURE!" he bellowed cheerfully. "Mi amore, how are you?"  
"Very well, Aya. Put that down over there so I can greet you.properly." Said Shigure, fluttering his eyelashes.  
Uo and Hana looked dumfounded. "He's flirting with that guy, but he obsesses over high school girls?" Uo whispered.  
Hatori sighed. "They're not serious. They're just being idiots."  
  
"O.k." said Uo. She decided to forget about it. Too much thinking 'bout Sohma's make Uo crazy. She finished hanging the last streamer and laid out the cake and food on the table, just in time.  
"Shigure popped his head up in alarm. He had heard Tohru laugh. They were coming up the path. "Everyone! They're coming!" he hissed. All activity ceased as everyone scrambled to hide and flick off the lights.  
  
"Did Kyo and Shigure go to bed?" They heard Tohru whisper. "We better be quiet. Kyo hates being woken up. You remember what happened last time. We had to get a new window." Uo snickered and Kyo blushed.  
"I don't think they're asleep Miss Honda." Yuki said, flipping on the lights.  
"SURPRISE!" Everyone shouted, hopping out from behind various pieces of furniture.  
Tohru shrieked and clutched at her heart, hair frizzed straight up, eyes white. She looked around at her laughing friends, the decorations, piles of presents, and food, then looked over at Shigure creakily. "It-it's not Saturday." She said weakly.  
"I know. I lied." He said cheerfully, leading her over to sit on a pile of pillows and cushions in the middle of the room. "Please sit, princess Tohru, this is your baby shower!" he said gesturing grandly.  
"You've been watching too much American television." Said Hiro flatly. He looked at Tohru and smiled slightly. "So, 'bout ready to pop?"  
"HIRO!" Hatori said. "Enough!"  
Tohru laughed. "Not quite. I think they're still expanding, THEN they'll pop." She said winking. Hiro smirked.  
"Alright, enough of THAT." Said Ayame. "We're playing GAMES!" He pulled out a roll of toilet paper. "I have an American customer, she suggested these." He gushed. "SUCH a wonderful woman!"  
"Do we have to?" Kyo muttered.  
"YES! Now Tohru, you go in the other room and measure a length of toilet paper that fits you perfectly around the middle, without tearing into a square. Then you bring out the roll, and we tear off pieces, and the person who comes closest to the real length wins." Said Ayame, pulling her into the kitchen. He shut the door behind her.  
"Win's what?" Hiro asked as Tohru came back out. "It's pretty pointless to have a game if there's no prizes."  
"Who said there weren't prizes?" Ayame asked cheerfully. "But they're a surprise." He tossed the roll of toilet paper to Yuki, who looked at Tohru, then ripped off a length and handed it to Shigure, who did the same, then passed it to the next person.  
"Great." Said Kyo, deadpan. He ripped off his length, then gave it to Haru, who was the last in line.  
"Now, Tohru, you're going to hate this. We take each length and wrap it around your middle. Whoever comes closest wins." Said Ayame. They all got a good laugh out of this game. All of the lengths were either much too small or much too big. Then Yuki gave his length. He was a square off. "Goodness brother, to be so accurate, you must have been watching Miss Tohru very closely." Teased Ayame, handing him his prize. It was a pacifier on a string.  
"Is anyone else sick of the games already?" Hiro asked. Everyone nodded, except for Ayame and Shigure, who pouted. "Then I say we let her open her presents, then we can eat." "Here here!" said Uo, handing Tohru her gift. "Here you go, mom." She said, winkng. "Uo!"  
Tohru said, blushing. She opened the large parcel to reveal a baby bathtub. Inside were stacks of towels, washrags, and baby bath.  
"You can never have too much." Said Uo. Tohru leaned in to give her a hug.  
"Mine next! Mine next!" said Momiji, handing her the large box. "Careful, Tohru, it's breakable." He warned.  
"Ok." She said, ripping through the paper. She pulled out a beautiful mobile, made of crystals. Amethyst, citrine, bloodstone, jasper, and jade made up a dazzling display of color that bounced off the walls and made rainbows on the ceiling. Tohru was in shock. "Oh Momiji, it's absolutely beautiful!" she breathed. "But it's too nice to hang in a crib to get all torn up!"  
"Yeah, mom had it hanging from the ceiling when I was little, where I couldn't reach it." He said, beaming.  
"What?"  
"Didn't I tell you? It was mine when I was little. When I left, I took this with me." Momiji said, tapping a swinging piece of jade.  
"I can't take this!" Tohru said, eyes white. "It's too special!"  
Momiji shook his finger at her. "It's rude to return a gift!" he said happily, going to sit down. He plainly wasn't going to take it back.  
"Don't argue with him, Tohru. You won't win." Said Yuki. "Open mine next." He handed her a flat parcel. It was a book of baby food recipes involving various vegetables.  
"Thank you Yuki!" she said, beaming at him. He smiled back. She opened Hana's gift next. A diaper bag filled with bottles, bibs, pacifiers, and toys were her gift.  
"Ok, mine next." Kyo said, grinning cheekily. Tohru laughed when she saw his gift. Four little gi's, all snow white. "Gotta start 'em early!" he said.  
The gift from Ritsu's mother was a large blanket, knitted in blue and green wool. Kisa's present was a rag rug she had made for the babies room, also in blue and green. Hiro gave her a stuffed lamb and a set of white lambs' wool blankets. He scowled when Kyo asked if he had supplied the wool. Ayame gave her a whole range of outfits for after their birth. They were each individual creations, all of them silk or velvet, all of them beautiful. Shigure's gift was a set of children's books he had written himself in secret. They were published under a pseudonym, so no one would guess he had written them unless he told them. Hatori's gift was an ultrasound, free of charge. He had pulled some strings at the local hospital. Her appointment was in three weeks.  
Haru's present was saved for last. Covered in a sheet, a huge mass sat in the middle of the dining room. Tohru had been glancing at it all night, wondering what on earth could be under that blanket. It was so TALL.  
"I hope you like it." Haru said placidly. "I made it myself." He whipped off the sheet to reveal a cradle. But WHAT a cradle! For one thing it was extremely wide. Easily large enough for four babies to sleep in comfortably. There was a canopy, carved to resemble flowering vines, green silk curtains hanging down to the floor, shading any little faces that might catch a ray of sun during a nap. The rockers were carved in animals from the zodiac, and the head and footboard were arced, a sun and full moon adorning them. Tohru was speechless. She ran her hand over the beautiful stained cherry wood, marveling at how much time and effort this had taken. Tears ran down her cheeks as she ran to give him a hug, only to stop short. She tugged him into the kitchen, then flung her arms around him, ignoring the smoke and resulting boom. She kept her arms around the ox's neck, rubbing her face against his hair, drying her tears on him. She laughed when he licked her face mischievously. She returned to the dining room and thanked everyone.  
"Where'd Haru go?" Uo asked.  
"He had to go to the bathroom." Said Tohru. She looked around. "He was a little.damp." She said, blushing. "I cried all over him."  
"I don't blame you." Said Uo, admiring the cradle. "If he went into business doing this, he'd be rich."  
"He doesn't want to." Said Shigure. "He just does it for close family and friends. It's his way of relaxing."  
"Why? Would you like one?" Haru asked, returning to the room. There was a large wet splotch on his shirt, in keeping with the story he'd heard in the kitchen.  
Uo rolled her eyes. "The day I need one of those is the day Orange top goes on prozac." She said.  
* * *  
  
"Miss Honda, would you like some help?" Yuki asked, covering his smile with a hand.  
Tohru looked up at him, completely red faced with the strain of bending over so long. "Please?" she said. She held the socks, then her foot. After Yuki put that on, she did the same with the other foot, and it was treated the same. "Thank you." She sighed. "I can't even see my feet anymore."  
"You look fine." He assured her.  
"Tell me that when I can't put on my shoes." She said, sticking out her tongue. He laughed.  
"Will you two hurry up? You're gonna miss your appointment!" Kyo said, tossing them a doughnut. The ultrasound appointment had been made early in the morning, before breakfast in order to get it free. Shigure called them downstairs, where Hatori and Ritsu, who was tagging along, stood, waiting to drive them to the hospital. After Kyo and Yuki helped Tohru put on her shoes.  
* * *  
"Appointment for Tohru Honda." Yuki said at the reception desk. "Hatori Sohma made the appointment."  
"Yes, right here, radiology is down the hall to your left, room 105." Said the receptionist. She looked startled at the number of men surrounding the young pregnant woman. And looked downright shocked when Hatori came in after parking the car.  
"Thank you." Shigure said, nodding. They walked--or in Tohru's case, waddled at this point--down the hall to radiology, where Hatori checked her in and went to look for his friend, who was the one doing the ultrasound.  
Tohru settled herself in a wide chair, sighing. "Well, someone's awake." She said, rubbing her swollen stomach. It was plainly jumping, almost as if she had hiccups.  
Yuki smiled and put his hand on her stomach. "They're very active." He said.  
"That's good. We'll be able to see a lot of movement today." Said Hatori, coming back to them with a young man. "This is my friend, Jim. He's an American, but don't hold that against him."  
"Shut up, Hari." Said Jim. "Are you ready, Miss Honda?"  
"I guess." She said, pushing herself up. She sighed gratefully when Yuki and Kyo hauled her to her feet again.  
"How many are you having? Four?" Jim asked.  
"Yep." She said cheerfully.  
He grinned and escorted her down the hall and into a small room where a machine and of course, a table/bed waited for her. He helped her climb on the bed and lifted her shirt. He smeared the cool goop on her stomach, making her squeal. "Sorry about that." He picked up the little wand and ran it over her stomach. A misshapen mass appeared on the screen.  
"There they are." Hatori said.  
"Yeah, I think we're looking at the.legs? Four legs, so here's two of them." Jim said, slowly moving the wand. "Let's go up a bit, and see.there's a head!" he said, pointing to a bulbous mass. "Here's a nose, and there are the eyes." He pointed out the features, which became more apparent as they were explained. He moved to the left and got a full face shot of another one. "Look! They're moving." Indeed a hand had moved up to the face, and held it to the mouth.  
"Is it sucking it's thumb?" Kyo asked, amazed.  
"Yeah, I think so." Said the doctor. He moved the wand. "Yep." He moved it again. "Oops, between the leg shot. Do you want to know what they are?"  
  
"No, we prefer to wait." Said Shigure. How could he tell the doctor they already knew?  
"Ok. He kept moving the wand, pointing out various body parts on all four babies, showed their hearts beating, and at one point the wand jumped when one of them kicked at it. "I don't think that one liked the wand pressing it." Jim said, laughing. "That one has a temper on it."  
"It must be yours, Kyo." Shigure whispered. Kyo smacked him.  
Jim turned the monitor off. "That's about all you can see." He said. "Would you like a recording of it?"  
  
"Can we?" Tohru asked, her eyes shining.  
"Of course." The doctor said, popping out a tape. He handed it to her, then wiped the goop off her belly. "It looks like they're all really healthy."  
"That's good news." Hatori said. "Thanks Jim, I appreciate it."  
"Not a problem." Jim said, shaking his hand.  
"Shall we go?" Shigure asked, opening the door to the small exam room. They made their way out to the car, chattering excitedly about what they had seen.  
"We have one more thing to do today." Hatori said, once they were on the road. He made his way to the business district. "We have to buy furniture."  
"I thought Kagura was going to be here?"  
"She couldn't make it, Kagura is ill." Hatori said, pulling up beside a furniture store. "And I thought Tohru might prefer to drive, rather than walk."  
"Thank you, Hatori." Tohru said, getting out of the backseat. Kyo and Yuki each took a hand to assist her, and she smiled at them.  
"So, what are we looking for?" Shigure asked. "Not a crib, we've got the cradle."  
"We should get a crib, too." Said Kyo. "They'll outgrow that cradle pretty quick."  
"But we can at least wait on that and get things we'll really need now." Yuki said. "But since we're HERE lets just get it NOW." Kyo said, a vein popping on his forehead.  
"Lets just get what we need as it occurs to us." Said Tohru, quickly curbing a fight between the two boys. "If we see a crib that we just have to have, we'll get it. If not, then ok."  
"That's a wonderful suggestion. Shop where the wind takes us!" Shigure said dramatically, posing with one hand in the air. He blushed when he saw the others had left him standing on the sidewalk. "Hey! Wait for me!"  
* * *  
The shopping trip had ended up taking the rest of the day, including a long lunch, because Tohru simply couldn't stay on her feet any more at one point. But they had gotten what they needed. A changing table, dresser, crib, and rocking chair, all in the same wood as the cradle they already had, making the cradle look like it was part of the set, although Tohru argued the cradle was a little bit better made. Technically the crib combo wasn't supposed to be sold, it was for a display, but Tohru had seen them setting it up and had gotten such a yearning look in her eye, the store owner couldn't say no. He had even agreed to deliver the sets free, and have his men help assemble it. They had bought sheets and bumpers for the crib and cradle, but they didn't have to worry about anything else, since Ayame scoffed at store bought curtains, and had made velvet curtains to match the ones on the canopied cradle.  
They also bought a stroller/car seat/baby carrier, and they had to visit three stores before they found one they all liked that could fit four children. In the end they had to get two doubles. All the clerks were amazed to learn she was carrying four babies, and gave her their undivided attention in every store they went to. Most of them had a running bet about which one was the father, but they couldn't tell. All the boys treated her with such respect and care they couldn't decide. One suggested all of them could be, and she was laughed out of the break room.  
"Do we need anything else?" Kyo asked, throwing the last of the undelivered packages in the trunk.  
"Umm, we have clothes, the bedroom set, strollers, car seats, high ch."Tohru trailed off. "We need a high chair!"  
"Other than that, is that all we need for now?" Shigure asked. Tohru counted on her fingers and nodded. "Yep. We won't need diapers for three more months, so we're good."  
Hatori looked over at her, frowning. "Didn't Miss Hanajima say one of them was Zodiac?" he asked.  
"Yes." Said Tohru, frowning. "Why?"  
"Tohru, even if only one of them is Zodiac, they'll all four be two months premature. All Zodiac members are." All of them were silent, digesting this bombshell.  
"I forgot about that." Said Kyo. "Shit!"  
"Will.will they be ok?" Tohru asked, lower lip shaking.  
Hatori's eyes widened. He quickly pulled the car over to the side of the road and parallel parked, then turned to look over the back of the seat. "Tohru, with medical technology what it is, they'll be just fine!" he said reassuringly. "I honestly thought you had remembered."  
"I should have. I should have remembered." Tohru said, a tear running down her cheek as she cradled her stomach.  
"Tohru, it'll be ok." Said Kyo. "We'll just get to see 'em that much sooner, that's all." He grinned. "Saves two months of anticipation, right? And since their room is ready, why make 'em wait?"  
Tohru laughed a little. "Are you sure they'll be alright?"  
"I swear to you, Tohru, they'll be fine." Hatori said. "I'll make sure of it."  
"Ok." Said Tohru, smiling once again. "Well, if they're coming next month sometime, we'd better get that high chair. They'll have to eat sometime!"  
* * *  
"Nothing left now but the waiting." Said Shigure, closing the door after the deliverymen. They had delivered the furniture the next day and stayed long enough to make sure the furniture was built and where it needed to be. Then they had asked for the name of the person who had done the mural. Shigure had explained it was a family member, and he wasn't interested in contracts.  
"Where's Tohru?" Kyo asked, flopping down on a cushion in exhaustion. He had been the one helping the movers carry the packages in.  
"She went to take a little nap." Said Yuki, smiling. "She's been getting tired more often of late."  
"She's carrying four kids, plus cooking, plus anything else she can do before we bust her and make her stop." Said Kyo. "Of course she's tired."  
"So we're ready?" Shigure asked.  
"Yeah. She ought to go into labor in the next three weeks or so. Hatori is on speed dial. There's not much more we can do."  
"I've been thinking." Shigure said, looking up. The other two looked shocked. He scowled. "Oh, stop that. I AM capable of thought." He said, huffing. "I was just thinking, what animal is this baby?"  
"Huh?" the other two asked in chorus.  
"Well, which animal is the baby? There's no free place in the Zodiac, so how is this child a member?" Shigure asked.  
"I never thought of it." Said Yuki. "We've never been able to tell in the womb before."  
"And what does it mean? There can't be two animals of the same type at the same time."  
"I think it means that someone is going to die, and the curse is preparing for it." Said Shigure, ominously. "SO there won't be a big gap."  
"God, I wish you hadn't said that." Said Kyo after a long pause.  
"Truthfully? I wish I hadn't too."  
* * *  
"KYO! YUKI! SHIGURE!" Tohru yelled, waddling down the hall anxiously. "I think my water just broke!" Utter pandemonium struck the little house in the woods.  
"I'll get the suitcase, you call Hatori, get him down here!" said Kyo, dashing down the hall.  
"Get her coat! It's cold outside." Said Yuki, pulling Tohru to sit on a cushion. He held her hand as a shudder went through her frame. "I think she just had a contraction!" he bellowed. Tohru looked at him in amazement. She'd never heard him bellow before.  
"Ok, Hari's on his way, he should be here in less than fifteen minutes." Shigure said, sitting down beside her and putting her shoes on her feet. "Lets get you ready so that you can hop in the car and just GO when he gets here."  
"Here's the suitcase!" Kyo said, sliding to a stop beside the other three. "He looked down at Tohru's strained face. "Looks like we'll be seeing 'em a little later than we thought." Kyo said, smirking. She was two days into her eighth month. Hatori thought it was because she was carrying so many, and only one of them was Zodiac.  
A horn honked outside, accompanied by the screech of slammed on breaks. "There's Hari!" Said Shigure, pulling Tohru to her feet. Yuki got her coat while Kyo got her suitcase and they hustled her out the door.  
Hatori looked at them. "I doubt she's going to be giving birth in the backseat." He said dryly. "You don't have to haul her like a sack of old clothes."  
"She's hurting!" said Kyo, glaring at him.  
"When did you have your first contraction?" Hatori asked her calmly.  
"Umm, not too long ago. Maybe a minute before you pulled up." She said, settling in the backseat between Kyo and Yuki. Shigure got shotgun.  
"Tell me when you start to have another. They should be fairly spaced out, right now." Said Hatori, pulling into traffic. He was going slightly above the speed limit, though, however calm he sounded. About twenty minutes into the ride-the hospital was a half hour away-another contraction hit. "You're progressing fairly quickly." Hatori said. He had sped up another five miles when her heard her gasp.  
"IS that good or bad?" she asked, gritting her teeth.  
"Well, good." Hatori said. "You'll probably only be in labor ten hours at the most if you keep progressing like this."  
Kyo gaped. "Ten hours?"  
"And it's going to get worse." Hatori said.  
"Great." Tohru said, relaxing as the pain went away. She sighed in relief when they pulled up to the hospital's emergency entrance.  
Kyo, Yuki and Shigure hustled her inside while Hatori parked, then got her admitted. Twenty minutes later found her in a hospital bed, surrounded by monitors, an IV in her hand.  
"How are you feeling, Miss Honda?"  
"I'm feeling fine, right now, Yuki. It's only bad when the contractions hit." She gasped and bit her lip. "Like now." She said, gripping Kyo's hand tightly. Yuki went pale and went to get a nurse. It continued on like that for hours. Tohru was dilated to five, and every Zodiac member who contributed sperm, plus every other Sohma she had ever come in contact with was there, waiting for the birth of the new members.  
Hatori came in the room to give them an update, as he did every hour. "She's dilated another centimeter. They had to give her some drugs to speed dilation, and they have the preemie beds standing by. She's doing great."  
"Who's in there with her?" Haru asked. "We want to go in, but the nurses said three at a time."  
"Yuki, Shigure, and Kyo, of course." Said Hatori. "I'll tell Shigure to come out and give the rest of you a turn. I don't think you could pry Kyo and Yuki out of there at the moment with a crowbar."  
"Have they passed out yet?" Asked Momiji, looking mischievous.  
"Not yet." Said Hatori, smiling. "Wait for the actual birth, then they'll either leave, or if she makes them stay, THEN they'll faint." He left, and true to his word, sent Shigure out to wait with the rest while the others went in one by one. Ritsu's mom came out last.  
"She's getting ready to start pushing." She said, smiling as she sat down. The others tensed up, waiting for any news that might come their way.  
* * *  
"Alright Miss Honda, are you ready for them to come out and say hello?" a doctor asked, cheerfully. Tohru nodded wearily. She had been in labor six hours, a remarkably short time for a first time mother, but the most agonizing six hours of her entire life. "Then I need you to push when I tell you to, and we'll have a quartet." He bent to peer between her spraddled legs, already in the stirrups. "Hello! We have a crowner people!" he said, throwing the room into activity.  
"A crowner?" Kyo asked. He was safely by Tohru's head, as was Yuki, each holding a hand.  
"A baby's head is showing. We call it crowning. And it's got hair." Said the doctor. "I need you to push Tohru, as hard as you can push." She leaned up and grunted with the strain of bringing the new life into the world, clutching their hands for all she was worth. "GOOD Tohru!" the doctor said. "One more push and it should be here!" Another straining push, and a baby cry could be heard in the room. Tohru laid back for a moment in complete exhaustion, then looked at the little life she had created. And gaped in shock. The baby had a tiny head full of white hair.  
"Oh dear god, it's either Ayame or Haru." Kyo said. Yuki looked ill.  
"Well Tohru, here's your first. It's a girl." The doctor said, holding up the squalling infant so her mother could see, then handing her to a nurse to be taken to an incubator. Tohru gasped as another contraction hit. "Oops, no rest for the wicked. Here comes number two." He urged her to push once more, and out came number two. It was completely bald.  
"No hints there." Yuki said.  
"Congratulations. It's a boy." He said, holding it up. It's eyes squinted open, revealing perfect honey brown orbs in a miniature Tohru's face.  
"Holy shit." Kyo said, ready to faint. "Ritsu had a boy."  
"I can't believe it myself." Yuki said, ready to hit the floor.  
"Good job, two more." The doctor said, handing the quiet baby to the nurse.  
"Is he ok?" Tohru asked, worried because her baby was so quiet.  
"He's fine." The doctor assured her. "He's just.quiet. Now, lets get his new siblings out, and we're done." A few more tremendous pushes, and the third baby came into the world, squalling. Again, it was bald. Then they got a look at it's face. "Hatori." Kyo and Yuki said in unison. Tohru had her eyes closed, completely exhausted, thankful it was almost over. Then another contraction hit, making her jerk upright. "Doctor!" she gasped, clutching at Yuki and Kyo's hands.  
You know the drill by now." Said the doctor, ready to catch. A last round of pushing, and a third little girl was revealed, red haired and dark skinned, screaming her little lungs out, hands clenched tight. Kyo hit the floor, Yuki seconds after him.  
***  
Hatori came into the room, pale as a ghost. "What's the matter?" Haru asked, scared. "Is everyone ok?"  
"Oh. Yes, Tohru and her babies made it through fine. And.would you like to know the fathers?" he asked, grinning evilly. You could see now why he hung out with Ayame and Shigure. He had his moments.  
"Tell us NOW Hari, or I swear you'll wake up with nothing but a pair of leopard boxer shorts tomorrow!" said Ayame.  
"Well, there were three girls and one boy. One of them has.Brown eyes." He turned to Ritsu. "Congratulations, your son came into the world weighing in at three pounds four ounces, and a respectable thirteen inches."  
Ritsu's mom was in fits, crying about how she was a grandmother. Ritsu couldn't move, completely in shock.  
"Baby number two was a little girl with white hair." He said, looking at Ayame and Haru. "We didn't know who's it was until she opened her eyes. Purple." Ayame and Haru looked puzzled. "It means it could be Ayame's OR Yuki's. Since they're brothers, they'd have most of their genetic markers the same, so it's impossible to tell. So, congratulations Ayame, you're a co-father." For once in his life Ayame couldn't speak. "Baby number three.I nearly had a heart attack. She's mine." Hatori said. A great hooting went up. He blushed. "Yes, she can't be anyone else's. The blood test confirmed it."  
"Who's was the fourth?" Momiji asked, bouncing.  
"You're not going to believe it." Hatori said. "She came into the world screaming, red haired and with Tohru's eyes. Ladies and Gentlemen, Kyo has a daughter." The hospital had never heard such a din. The four little reasons for the reaction slept peacefully in the nursery, unaware of the pandemonium they were going to cause.  
* * *  
"I sense a new member of the Zodiac, Kureno. Let's go meet it."  
* * *  
"This one is the one with your signals." Said Hana, touching Kyo's little girl with an outstretched finger.  
"Their signals?" Tohru asked from her bed, where her son lay in her arms, sound asleep.  
"Yes. Her signals are identical to the Sohmas." The others exchanged significant glances. They had just found the newest Zodiac member.  
"Stop cuddling Yankee, it's my turn." Kyo said, taking his baby from the blonde. He laid her down, back on his forearm, head in his hands, thus holding her safely.  
Uo sniffed. "Fine. Yuki, hand her over." She said, reaching for the baby with white hair, which Yuki was holding possessively.  
Ayame shouldered past her. "Not a chance, it's my turn." He said, holding out his hands for his niece/daughter. Yuki surrendered her reluctantly.  
Hatori smiled at the frustrated look on Uo's face. "Here, Uo. You can hold mine, while I go confer with the doctor about releasing them. Other than a low birth weight, they're fine, and I can watch them myself." He strode out in the hall, then came back in, pale. "Oh god." He said, sitting back down in the chair.  
"What's the matter Hatori?"  
"Akito's here." He said hoarsely. "He must have sensed the baby being born." He looked at Hana. "The one with our electric signals."  
"I see." She said, glancing at the door. "His signals are.odd. Unhappy." She looked back at the room in general, eyes not seeing. "His signals are angry at him."  
"How can they be angry?" Yuki asked. "They ARE his signals."  
"You'll see." Hana said, going to sit beside Tohru, almost as if guarding her. She took the baby from Uo, holding her securely in her arms, and wrapped her arm around Yuki's chair. Her eyes started to glow, subtly. Only Kyo was left unguarded, and the baby currently gazing at him.  
"Greetings, my family. And esteemed guests." Akito said, coming into the room. "I came to see our latest.family.member." he trailed off, glancing around in complete disbelief at the four infants in various embraces. "What is going on here?"  
"Akito, the experiment succeeded beyond your imagination." Said Hatori. "Instead of having one, or maybe twins, she had four. All have different fathers."  
"I see. Who are the lucky fathers?" Akito asked, his voice very quiet. Always a bad sign.  
"Myself, Kyo, Yuki or Ayame, and Ritsu." Hatori said, pointing to each child.  
"And one of them is the future Zodiac member." He said, disregarding the people who weren't family who were listening. He looked over at the bed, where three out of four babies rested. Hana looked at him, purple sparks shining off her. Her eyes glowed brightly as she rested a hand on Tohru, then the babies' heads. "I see." He said again. "If I may be permitted to hold one of the new members." He stated more than asked. He stretched out his arms for the baby in Hana's arms, but her sparks increased and he pulled back. He scowled, then reached for the baby in Kyo's hand, who bristled, ready to defend his daughter with his life.  
"Let him take her, Kyo." Hana's voice rang out over the silent, tense crowd. "He can't hurt her."  
Akito blinked at her. "You're so sure of that, are you?" he asked scornfully, before taking the child in his hands. The second he touched her, a bright light erupted from them both, screams of agony coming from Akito's wide-open mouth. Kyo snatched the baby back in a panic, clutching her to his chest protectively. As soon as it started, it was over, and Akito lay on the floor, panting. The baby cooed. Utter silence reigned.  
"What.What happened?" Akito asked, rising to his feet. All the Zodiac members were staring at the new life in Kyo's arms. "Why can't I feel the link anymore? Why can't I feel you?" he asked, staring around at the Zodiac.  
"Because you're no longer family head." Hatori said, closing his eyes. He opened them, a voice that wasn't his own came from his mouth, a deep, penetrating voice. "I'm disappointed in you, former Clan Head. You abused the members under your care, and you abused the power given to you. You were foolish, God of the Zodiac. Instead of giving the woman child grief, you have given the four infants a blessing. They, and their children forever more shall be free of the Zodiac curse, because you exposed them in the womb to all of them. For this, you are thanked. You have been stripped of all power; they have been given to the girl child. I give her the name Kimi.  
She has been given the role of leader, but her life will not end early. She has been given your remaining years, Akito. You would have lived well into your forty's, as all leaders do, but not now. Now, you have six months. You are reduced to the lowest clan rank. You are dishonored, Akito Sohma, former Zodiac God. The child, until she is old enough to preside, shall be raised by her mother, who is acting clan head." He turned glowing green eyes to stare at Kyo. "Congratulations child of the Cat. Your child will go down in history as being the most successful clan head of all time. I also say this. The next child of the Cat shall no longer be ostracized for something that was no fault of it's own. In the family Sohma, the cat is a full member of the Zodiac. " Hatori slumped forward, closing his eyes. When he rose back up, the glow was gone.  
"What the hell was that?" Uo asked in a shaking voice.  
"No! I won't be disposed!" Akito snarled, leaping for the baby.  
Kyo saw red. He quickly gave the baby to a surprised Uo, then met Akito half way, his fist connecting with his nose, shattering the bone, blood gushing from the former Head.  
Akito howled, clutching his nose. He looked around at his former Zodiac, searching for support, and found none. He snarled again, then left the room, Kureno following.  
"GOD I've been wanting to do that for FUCKING YEARS!" Kyo said, massaging his fist.  
"This is bizarre." Said Yuki. "So now, Akito is no longer family Head?"  
  
"Apparently not." Shigure said, blinking in amazement. He looked at the little red head in Uo's arms. "She is."  
Kyo was in shock. "A member of the family?" He said in wonder. "What the hell was that?"  
"That, Kyo, was magic." Said Hatori. "The oldest in the world."  
"Was it." Yuki couldn't complete the thought. "Yes. It was." Hatori said simply. "So my babies can't have the curse?" Tohru asked, clutching her son to her. "Or their children?"  
"Or their children's children. Children of their blood will forever be free of the Curse of the Zodiac. In time, when their blood runs through all the descendants of the Sohma family, the curse will be destroyed. It will take generations, but it will be done." Hana said, smiling.  
"How do you know about the Zodiac?"  
"Your waves tell me all I need to know. I've known for years." Said Hana. "I've just been humoring you."  
"Thanks for that." Said Shigure, blandly.  
"Your welcome." She said, handing him Hatori's little girl. "Tohru, have you decided on names for any of them, yet?"  
  
"You know what? We haven't." said Tohru. "I think I kinda wanted to wait and see who the father's were, so we could let them have a say."  
"I'm honored." Hatori said, bowing to her. "I actually like the name Takara."  
Tohru smiled. "Takara Sohma. I like it." She said. The baby with Hatori's face looked at her father, who was holding her, and yawned. He smiled.  
"What about little double dad?" Uo asked, pointing to the little white-haired baby.  
"I like Akina myself." Said Yuki. "It seems to suit her."  
Ayame glowed. "Oh, Yuki, are you naming her after me? I'm so touched." He said, fluttering his eyelashes.  
"On second thought."  
"No! I like the name Akina. It sounds like her." Said Tohru, looking down at the serene infant in Yuki's arms. She looked more like Yuki and Ayame than ever.  
"Well, orange top junior has already been named." Said Uo. "So all that's left is the boy." She grinned evilly. "Oh he's gonna be so ganged up on when they grow up."  
"Benjiro." Said Ritsu, blushing. "How about Benjiro."  
"Benjiro." Tohru said, looking at the quiet child in her arms. She had yet to hear him cry. "It's perfect."  
"So, their names are Benjiro." Uo said, pointing to the boy baby. "Takara." Hatori's baby. "Kimi." Kyo's. "And Akina." Yuki's.  
"All good names." Said Haru. "Let's hope they live up to them."  
"Especially Kimi." Said Momiji, chucking the baby under the chin. She squelched her face up and turned red. "She's got Kyo's temper, that's for sure."  
"Can I just say again how glad I am you weren't allowed to contribute?" Kyo said, unable to hit because of the baby in his arms.  
* * *  
"There's no way you're going to put.that on my little girl." Said Yuki, eyeing the dress Ayame was waving around.  
  
"Yuki! I worked so hard on it! You could at least let me see how she looks in it!" Said Ayame, pouting. He held up the pink dress again, as if seeing it one more time would make Yuki change his mind. "Besides! She's MY little girl too!"  
"I said no." He said, calmly patting a three-month-old Akina on the back, trying to coax a burp from her.  
She cooed at Ayame, who made faces at her. "See? Even SHE wants to wear it! She HAS to be mine, she inherited my fashion sense!" He said, sparkling. He ran a hand through his hair. "Not to mention my good looks."  
"How many times do I have to tell you? She could be yours or mine; the DNA tests were inconclusive. Our DNA is too close to really tell." Yuki said with narrow eyes.  
"All the more reason to let me hold her occasionally!" Ayame said, hands on his hips, the perfect picture of indignation. The argument startled the baby sleeping on Yuki's shoulder. Akina's little face crumpled, and two fat tears pooled in her eyes, a little whimper escaping her pouting mouth. Yuki and Ayame instantly forgot their argument in favor of trying to cheer up their now sobbing baby.  
"That's so sweet." Shigure said, one hand propping his chin up, the other supporting a wide-eyed Benjiro, who watched the two adults in amazement. His father had been up the night before, to bring him back from a visit to the bathhouse. Ritsu had finally stopped flipping out, simply because it scared Benji so badly when he started to abase himself. He had actually NOT apologized for breathing yesterday.  
"What's made Akina cry?" Tohru asked, coming downstairs with a sobbing Kimi and a pissed Kyo.  
"You damn rat! Stop fighting with the damn snake and scaring your kid! It makes mine cry too!" He looked down at Kimi, whose face was screwed up and red, screams of utter rage pouring from her outraged throat as she thrashed in his arms. It was always like this. Kimi and Akina seemed to have a bond, different from their siblings. They could almost seem to tell what the other one was thinking. If one was happy, so was the other, but if one were upset, watch out! Kimi seemed to have her father's temper and wasn't afraid to let others know if she was upset. While Kimi didn't seem to have a problem letting people know who her father was, Akina seemed determined to keep her origins a secret. She had characteristics of both Ayame and Yuki. Just now, she was Ayame, willing to do anything to get what she wanted, which was her mother.  
Tohru pulled Akina close to her chest, burying the red little face in her neck, making shushing noises. The sobbing finally stopped, but gulping hiccups came from the baby's hidden face. Tohru looked at the two brothers, who were squirming in guilt. "Were you fighting again?" she asked, sighing. She seemed to be more tired than usual, recently. It was only understandable, since she had four babies, but since the boys had been helping as well, it hadn't been as bad as it was for some new mothers.  
"I just wanted her to wear a dress." Ayame said, pouting. He held up the little pink dress for Tohru's perusal.  
Her hair frizzed. "Um, Ayame, don't you think that's a bit too.puffy?" she asked, plucking at the skirt. "I don't think we could see her in all that skirt."  
He looked at it critically. "You think so?" he asked, holding it up to the baby's small form. Indeed, the dress seemed to engulf the baby, lovely though it was. It resembled a rose with all those bright pink layers. "Perhaps you're right." He sighed. He placed a large, smacking kiss on the baby's head, then on Tohru's cheek, causing her to blush horribly. A dangerous aura erupted from both Yuki and Kyo, but Ayame ignored it. They were notorious for not fighting in front of the babies. "I suppose I should return to my shop. I just thought I'd bring this lovely creation of mine and see if my little possible progeny would like it, but it seems my efforts are in vain."  
"No, Ayame! It's not that, it's just.too big for her." Said Tohru, rushing to his side. "Maybe.you could take off some layers, and this bow in back?" she said, pointing to a bow as big as the baby's head.  
Ayame looked over the dress, mentally making the suggested modifications, then grinned broadly at her. "Tohru, if you ever get tired of keeping house for this boorish lot, feel free to come work for me. I can always use a fresh eye for designs!" he said, waving a hand at the other three men in the room.  
"Aya! How could you!" Shigure moaned, tears rolling down his cheeks. He quickly ceased his teasing when his wails caused all three infants to wail as well. Kyo, Yuki and Ayame all shot him looks of death as they rushed to reassure their progeny.  
"What's all the commotion?" Hatori asked, putting Takara's carrier down on the floor and removing the sleeping infant from its confines. "I could hear you all the way down the road."  
"They're being mean, Hari!" Shigure said, a hand on his forehead. "Ayame said I was a boor!"  
"So what?" said Hatori. "You are." He ignored the fresh, if quickly stifled moans coming from Shigure's direction and smiled at a harried Tohru, who smiled back.  
"Hello Hatori, how was the weekend?" she asked, handing Akina to an ecstatic Ayame and reaching out to take Takara, who started to wake up. She drifted back to sleep as her mother rocked her gently.  
"It was fine. I fed and changed her an hour ago, and she's already been bathed." He said, running a finger over his daughters' small forehead, causing it to wrinkle in her sleep. "Haru claimed her earlier, when I had an appointment, and hennaed her before I could get to him." He smiled ruefully, pushing up the sleeves on her tiny sleeper. A small, brown inkblot decorated the baby's upper arm, in the shape of a seahorse.  
Tohru laughed. "As long as it's not permanent." She said, shaking her head.  
"I wouldn't do that." Said Haru, coming into the room.  
"Haru?" Hatori asked. "When did you get here?"  
  
"I came with some news. You forgot your cell in the car." Haru said, looking at Hatori. "Akito's been shot. He died en route to the hospital, half an hour ago." He pulled a note out of his pocket. "This was found by the body, when servants heard the gunshot." A stylized red butterfly was all that was on the paper.  
Tohru froze when she saw the painted insect, her face going pale. "Oh Granddad." she whispered, clutching Takara closer to her chest.  
"Granddad?" Kyo asked, looking at her. "What's the matter with you? You look like you've seen a ghost." he peered at the paper more closely. "Isn't that the butterfly that your mom had painted on her jacket?"  
"Yes." Said Tohru, sinking to the cushion. "It was my mother's calling card." She looked up at the puzzled men. "My granddad has used it to contact me ever since."  
"Your grandfather?" Yuki asked.  
"No, my granddad." Said Tohru. "On my mother's side." She gestured to her eyes. "He was a Yankee, like Uo. He married my grandma, and when my great grandfather died, he took over his business."  
"What was the business?" Shigure asked.  
"A head of the Yakuza." Tohru said.  
The men frizzed. "The YAKUZA!?" They yelped, even the dignified Hatori.  
"Yeah. That's why I couldn't go stay with him when mom died." She said. "Mom didn't approve of him, or the business, so she didn't let him have any contact with me. She made him promise he'd never see me. But she never said he couldn't WRITE to me. He's sent me letters for as long as I can remember."  
"He still does it?" Shigure asked, frowning. "And how do you contact him?"  
"I don't, he contacts me." Said Tohru. "When I find an envelope in the mailbox with a butterfly on it, I know if I want to send him a letter I have to leave it in the mailbox overnight. It's always gone the next morning."  
"What do you tell him in these letters?" Asked Hatori.  
"Well, he mainly asks how I'm doing, how my studies are going, and he always sends me birthday and Christmas presents." Said Tohru. "This last letter I told him about how he was going to be a great grandfather, and how it happened."  
"What did he say to that?" Kyo muttered. "I'll bet he wasn't very happy."  
"No, he said something along the lines of clan heads going too far with his family." She said, brow furrowing. "I never thought he would do anything."  
"I don't entirely approve of this." Shigure said. "But he hasn't offered to harm you or us in any way, has he?"  
"No!" said Tohru, eyes going white. "In fact, he says he likes all of you!"  
"Likes us? He's never met us!" Said Ayame.  
"He said he did some checking. You all seemed very nice, or he would have found alternate housing for me. He suggested paying for an apartment for me, but I didn't' want him to go to so much trouble."  
"So he treats you well?" Shigure asked.  
"Yes." Said Tohru, smiling at him.  
"I wonder what he would do if he knew about that cousin of yours who wants to be a cop." Kyo muttered, grinning evilly.  
"I wonder if he'd read a letter from us." Yuki muttered. They exchanged smirks.  
Shigure shook his head. "Our little Tohru, connected to the mafia." He said, grinning. "Is there anything else you forgot to tell us?"  
"No, I don't think so." Tohru said, smiling. Then she wrinkled her nose. "And I think someone needs a change." She handed Takara back to her father, then took Benji from Shigure, who gave him up willingly for once. She went upstairs, taking a relieved Benjiro with her. Silence reigned in the sitting room.  
"Does she look like she's related to the Yakuza?" Haru asked, just to break the silence.  
"Do you LOOK like you're an idiot?" Kyo asked, cat ears flat on his head.  
"I don't think we should worry about it. If he hasn't hurt her before now, it's highly unlikely he's going to now." Said Ayame.  
"I don't like that he's watching us. Do you think he knows about the curse?" Yuki asked. He saw Akina yawning and took her from Ayame, who pouted. "It's time for her nap." He told Ayame firmly, taking his possible daughter and rocking her slightly.  
"I doubt it. If he cares about her enough to kill for her, then he wouldn't let her live with a bunch of animal men." Said Shigure.  
"You're probably right." Said Yuki. He glanced down at the sleeping baby in his arms, then at the drowsing Takara and Kimi. "Give me Takara. I'll take them both up for their nap, I'll bet Tohru is putting Benjiro down right now." He looked at Kyo. "I'm sure you'd prefer to take Kimi up yourself." At Kyo's nod, Yuki took Hatori's daughter in his free arm and carried both precious bundles up the stairs and into the nursery. Sure enough, Tohru was rocking Benjiro to sleep, humming a lullaby.  
She smiled when she saw his burden. "Where's Kimi?" she asked.  
"Kyo's going to bring her up in a minute." Said Yuki, laying the girls in the cradle. They lay there peacefully, content in the safe confines of their bed.  
"Are you upset?" Tohru asked, looking down at Benjiro's drowsy face.  
"About what?" Yuki asked, genuinely puzzled.  
"About Granddad."  
He looked at her in surprise. "Are you upset about my being related to Akito?" he asked.  
"No! You couldn't help that!" she said, her eyes wide.  
"And you can't help who your relatives are." Said Yuki, philosophically. "Why would I be upset for having a family member who obviously cares so much about you?"  
"He really does." Said Tohru, eyes soft. "He paid for my hospital stay, and the babies' care."  
"I thought the main house had." Said Yuki, surprised.  
"No. He did." Said Tohru.  
"And that just proves my point." Said Yuki. He smiled at her, a teasing glint in his eye. "I wonder what he would do if he knew about your other family and how they treated you?" he mused.  
Tohru's eyes started to spin. "I don't even want to think about it." She said, shaking her head.  
Yuki laughed and went to his room, both to finish some homework, and to get away from Ayame for the rest of the night. He found a small envelope sitting on his desk, on top of his books. His eyes widened when he saw the little grey mouse on the front. Quickly ripping it open, his eyes widened in disbelief.  
I do know, young rat. I do know. Needless to say, that young smart- ass is never going to be a police officer. I'll be in touch with you in the future, boy. Granddad 


End file.
